Markers of a recent bocavirus infection in children with Kawasaki disease: A year prospective study

Background. - Retrospective studies and case-reports have suggested the possible role of various viruses in the pathogenesis of the Kawasaki disease. Objectives. - To determine prospectively the incidence of Kawasaki diseases associated with a recent bocavirus infection in the course of a year. Study design. - Thirty-two children with Kawasaki disease were enrolled in a 13 months prospective study to assess the frequency of human bocavirus type 1 infections. Seasonal shedding of virus, markers of recent infection such as viraemia, viral load, and serum interferon alpha were analyzed. Results. - Three of 32 (9%) children had HBoV-DNA in the serum suggesting a recent infection. HBoV-DNA was detected in naso-pharyngeal aspiration of 7/32(21.8%) children with Kawasaki Disease and six of them (18%) had an increased viral load. No common respiratory viruses were isolated from the 32 patients with the exception of one adenovirus. The seven bocaviruses were identified during the winterspring season. In addition, 4 of 7 of Kawasaki disease patients shedding bocavirus had detectable interferon alpha in the blood, indicating a possible active or recent viral infection. Conclusions. - This study shows that a recent bocavirus infection is concomitant with the onset of some cases of Kawasaki disease. Bocavirus may be a cofactor in the pathogenesis of this disease as previously reported for other infectious agents. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.