Coxsackievirus A9 infects cells via nonacidic multivesicular bodies.

UNLABELLED: Coxsackievirus A9 (CVA9) is a member of the human enterovirus B species in the Enterovirus genus of the family Picornaviridae. According to earlier studies, CVA9 binds to αVß3 and αVß6 integrins on the cell surface and utilizes ß2-microglobulin, dynamin, and Arf6 for internalization. However, the structures utilized by the virus for internalization and uncoating are less well understood. We show here, based on electron microscopy, that CVA9 is found in multivesicular structures 2 h postinfection (p.i.). A neutral red labeling assay revealed that uncoating occurs mainly around 2 h p.i., while double-stranded RNA is found in the cytoplasm after 3 h p.i. The biogenesis of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) is crucial for promoting infection, as judged by the strong inhibitory effect of the wild-type form of Hrs and dominant negative form of VPS4 in CVA9 infection. CVA9 infection is dependent on phospholipase C at the start of infection, whereas Rac1 is especially important between 1 and 3 h p.i., when the virus is in endosomes. Several lines of evidence implicate that low pH does not play a role in CVA9 infection. The infection is not affected by Bafilomycin A1. In addition, CVA9 is not targeted to acidic late endosomes or lysosomes, and the MVBs accumulating CVA9 have a neutral pH. Thus, CVA9 is the second enterovirus demonstrated so far, after echovirus 1, that can trigger neutral MVBs, which are important for virus infection. IMPORTANCE: We demonstrate here that the enterovirus coxsackievirus A9 (CVA9) uses a nonclathrin and nonacidic pathway to infect cells. CVA9 does not accumulate in conventional late endosomes or lysosomes. We found that inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC), Rac1, and the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger decreased CVA9 infection. The PLC inhibitor acts on early entry, the Rac1 inhibitor acts between 1 and 3 h, when the virus is in endosomes, and the Na(+)/H(+) exchange inhibitor acts during various steps during the virus life cycle. The infection depends on the formation of novel neutral multivesicular bodies (MVBs), which accumulate CVA9 during the first hours of entry. Thus, CVA9 is the second enterovirus demonstrated so far, after echovirus 1, that can trigger formation of neutral MVBs. The data show that these enteroviruses favor nonacidic conditions and complex MVBs to promote virus infection.

Simultaneous detection and differentiation of human rhino- and enteroviruses in clinical specimens by real-time PCR with locked nucleic Acid probes.

Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) and human enteroviruses (HEVs) are significant respiratory pathogens. While HRV infections are restricted to the respiratory tract, HEV infections may spread to secondary target organs. The method of choice for sensitive specific detection of these viruses is reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with primers targeting the conserved 5' noncoding region of the viral RNA. On the other hand, sequence similarities between HRVs and HEVs complicate their differential detection. In this study, we describe the use of locked nucleic acid (LNA) analogues in short double-dye probes which contained only two selectively HRV- or HEV-specific bases. The double-stranded DNA dye BOXTO (4-[6-(benzoxazole-2-yl-(3-methyl-)-2,3-dihydro-(benzo-1,3-thiazole)-2-methylidene)]-1-methyl-quinolinium chloride) was used with the LNA probes in a tricolor real-time PCR assay to allow specific detection of HRVs (probes labeled with 6-carboxyfluorescein [FAM] [green]) and HEVs (Cy5 [red]) with additional melting curve analysis (BOXTO [yellow]). The functionality of the probes was validated in PCR and RT-PCR assays using plasmids containing viral cDNA, quantified viral RNA transcripts, cultivated rhino- and enterovirus prototypes, and clinical specimens. Of 100 HRV and 63 HEV prototypes, the probes correctly identified all HEVs except one that produced only a BOXTO signal. Among 118 clinical specimens with sequencing results, concordant results were obtained for 116 specimens. Two specimens were reactive with both probes, but sequencing yielded only a single virus. Real-time PCR with LNA probes allowed sensitive group-specific identification of HRVs and HEVs and would enable relative copy number determination. The assay is suitable for rapid and accurate differential detection of HRVs and HEVs in a diagnostic laboratory setting.

Complete genome sequences of three strains of coxsackievirus a7.

Genomes of three strains (Parker, USSR, and 275/58) of coxsackievirus A7 (CV-A7) were amplified by the long reverse transcription (RT)-PCR method and sequenced. While the sequences of Parker and USSR were identical, the similarities of 275/58 to the CV-A7 reference sequence, accession no. AY421765, were 82.6% and 96.2% for nucleotides and amino acids, respectively.

Structural and functional analysis of coxsackievirus A9 integrin αvß6 binding and uncoating.

Coxsackievirus A9 (CVA9) is an important pathogen of the Picornaviridae family. It utilizes cellular receptors from the integrin αv family for binding to its host cells prior to entry and genome release. Among the integrins tested, it has the highest affinity for αvß6, which recognizes the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) loop present on the C terminus of viral capsid protein, VP1. As the atomic model of CVA9 lacks the RGD loop, we used surface plasmon resonance, electron cryo-microscopy, and image reconstruction to characterize the capsid-integrin interactions and the conformational changes on genome release. We show that the integrin binds to the capsid with nanomolar affinity and that the binding of integrin to the virion does not induce uncoating, thereby implying that further steps are required for release of the genome. Electron cryo-tomography and single-particle image reconstruction revealed variation in the number and conformation of the integrins bound to the capsid, with the integrin footprint mapping close to the predicted site for the exposed RGD loop on VP1. Comparison of empty and RNA-filled capsid reconstructions showed that the capsid undergoes conformational changes when the genome is released, so that the RNA-capsid interactions in the N termini of VP1 and VP4 are lost, VP4 is removed, and the capsid becomes more porous, as has been reported for poliovirus 1, human rhinovirus 2, enterovirus 71, and coxsackievirus A7. These results are important for understanding the structural basis of integrin binding to CVA9 and the molecular events leading to CVA9 cell entry and uncoating.

Guiding plant virus particles to integrin-displaying cells.

Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are structurally regular, highly stable, tunable nanomaterials that can be conveniently produced in high yields. Unmodified VNPs from plants and bacteria generally do not show tissue specificity or high selectivity in binding to or entry into mammalian cells. They are, however, malleable by both genetic and chemical means, making them useful scaffolds for the display of large numbers of cell- and tissue-targeting ligands, imaging moieties, and/or therapeutic agents in a well-defined manner. Capitalizing on this attribute, we modified the genetic sequence of the Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) coat protein to display an RGD oligopeptide sequence derived from human adenovirus type 2 (HAdV-2). Concurrently, wild-type CPMV was modified via NHS acylation and Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) chemistry to attach an integrin-binding cyclic RGD peptide. Both types of particles showed strong and selective affinity for several different cancer cell lines that express RGD-binding integrin receptors.

Structural analysis of coxsackievirus A7 reveals conformational changes associated with uncoating.

Coxsackievirus A7 (CAV7) is a rarely detected and poorly characterized serotype of the Enterovirus species Human enterovirus A (HEV-A) within the Picornaviridae family. The CAV7-USSR strain has caused polio-like epidemics and was originally thought to represent the fourth poliovirus type, but later evidence linked this strain to the CAV7-Parker prototype. Another isolate, CAV7-275/58, was also serologically similar to Parker but was noninfectious in a mouse model. Sequencing of the genomic region encoding the capsid proteins of the USSR and 275/58 strains and subsequent comparison with the corresponding amino acid sequences of the Parker strain revealed that the Parker and USSR strains are nearly identical, while the 275/58 strain is more distant. Using electron cryomicroscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction, the structures of the CAV7-USSR virion and empty capsid were resolved to 8.2-Å and 6.1-Å resolutions, respectively. This is one of the first detailed structural analyses of the HEV-A species. Using homology modeling, reconstruction segmentation, and flexible fitting, we constructed a pseudoatomic T = 1 (pseudo T = 3) model incorporating the three major capsid proteins (VP1 to VP3), addressed the conformational changes of the capsid and its constituent viral proteins occurring during RNA release, and mapped the capsid proteins' variable regions to the structure. During uncoating, VP4 and RNA are released analogously to poliovirus 1, the interfaces of VP2 and VP3 are rearranged, and VP1 rotates. Variable regions in the capsid proteins were predicted to map mainly to the surface of VP1 and are thus likely to affect the tropism and pathogenicity of CAV7.

Single-cell analysis of population context advances RNAi screening at multiple levels.

Isogenic cells in culture show strong variability, which arises from dynamic adaptations to the microenvironment of individual cells. Here we study the influence of the cell population context, which determines a single cell's microenvironment, in image-based RNAi screens. We developed a comprehensive computational approach that employs Bayesian and multivariate methods at the single-cell level. We applied these methods to 45 RNA interference screens of various sizes, including 7 druggable genome and 2 genome-wide screens, analysing 17 different mammalian virus infections and four related cell physiological processes. Analysing cell-based screens at this depth reveals widespread RNAi-induced changes in the population context of individual cells leading to indirect RNAi effects, as well as perturbations of cell-to-cell variability regulators. We find that accounting for indirect effects improves the consistency between siRNAs targeted against the same gene, and between replicate RNAi screens performed in different cell lines, in different labs, and with different siRNA libraries. In an era where large-scale RNAi screens are increasingly performed to reach a systems-level understanding of cellular processes, we show that this is often improved by analyses that account for and incorporate the single-cell microenvironment.

Human rhinovirus C--associated severe pneumonia in a neonate.

We present a case of severe pneumonia, associated with a prolonged infection by a species C rhinovirus (HRV) in a 3-week old neonate. HRV RNA was identified in nasal and nasopharyngeal secretions, bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchial specimens, stool and urine, collected from the patient during a one-month period. No other viral or bacterial agents were detected. Sequence analysis of two regions of the viral genome, amplified directly from the clinical specimens revealed a novel HRV-C variant. These observations highlight the occurrence of severe neonatal infections caused by HRVs and the need of rapid viral diagnostics for their detection.

Interaction of alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6 integrins with human parechovirus 1.

Human parechovirus (HPEV) infections are very common in early childhood and can be severe in neonates. It has been shown that integrins are important for cellular infectivity of HPEV1 through experiments using peptide blocking assays and function-blocking antibodies to alpha(V) integrins. The interaction of HPEV1 with alpha(V) integrins is presumably mediated by a C-terminal RGD motif in the capsid protein VP1. We characterized the binding of integrins alpha(V)beta(3) and alpha(V)beta(6) to HPEV1 by biochemical and structural studies. We showed that although HPEV1 bound efficiently to immobilized integrins, alpha(V)beta(6) bound more efficiently than alpha(V)beta(3) to immobilized HPEV1. Moreover, soluble alpha(V)beta(6), but not alpha(V)beta(3), blocked HPEV1 cellular infectivity, indicating that it is a high-affinity receptor for HPEV1. We also showed that HPEV1 binding to integrins in vitro could be partially blocked by RGD peptides. Using electron cryo-microscopy and image reconstruction, we showed that HPEV1 has the typical T=1 (pseudo T=3) organization of a picornavirus. Complexes of HPEV1 and integrins indicated that both integrin footprints reside between the 5-fold and 3-fold symmetry axes. This result does not match the RGD position predicted from the coxsackievirus A9 X-ray structure but is consistent with the predicted location of this motif in the shorter C terminus found in HPEV1. This first structural characterization of a parechovirus indicates that the differences in receptor binding are due to the amino acid differences in the integrins rather than to significantly different viral footprints.

Internalization of coxsackievirus A9 is mediated by {beta}2-microglobulin, dynamin, and Arf6 but not by caveolin-1 or clathrin.

Coxsackievirus A9 (CAV9) is a member of the human enterovirus B species within the Enterovirus genus of the family Picornaviridae. It has been shown to utilize alphaV integrins, particularly alphaVbeta6, as its receptors. The endocytic pathway by which CAV9 enters human cells after the initial attachment to the cell surface has so far been unknown. Here, we present a systematic study concerning the internalization mechanism of CAV9 to A549 human lung carcinoma cells. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing of integrin beta6 subunit inhibited virus proliferation, confirming that alphaVbeta6 mediates the CAV9 infection. However, siRNAs against integrin-linked signaling molecules, such as Src, Fyn, RhoA, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and Akt1, did not reduce CAV9 proliferation, suggesting that the internalization of the virus does not involve integrin-linked signaling events. CAV9 endocytosis was independent of clathrin or caveolin-1 but was restrained by dynasore, an inhibitor of dynamin. The RNA interference silencing of beta2-microglobulin efficiently inhibited virus infection and caused CAV9 to accumulate on the cell surface. Furthermore, CAV9 infection was found to depend on Arf6 as both silencing of this molecule by siRNA and the expression of a dominant negative construct resulted in decreased virus infection. In conclusion, the internalization of CAV9 to A549 cells follows an endocytic pathway that is dependent on integrin alphaVbeta6, beta2-microglobulin, dynamin, and Arf6 but independent of clathrin and caveolin-1.

Molecular mechanism of alpha2beta1 integrin interaction with human echovirus 1.

Conformational activation increases the affinity of integrins to their ligands. On ligand binding, further changes in integrin conformation elicit cellular signalling. Unlike any of the natural ligands of alpha2beta1 integrin, human echovirus 1 (EV1) seemed to bind more avidly a 'closed' than an activated 'open' form of the alpha2I domain. Furthermore, a mutation E336A in the alpha2 subunit, which inactivated alpha2beta1 as a collagen receptor, enhanced alpha2beta1 binding to EV1. Thus, EV1 seems to recognize an inactive integrin, and not even the virus binding could trigger the conformational activation of alpha2beta1. This was supported by the fact that the integrin clustering by EV1 did not activate the p38 MAP kinase pathway, a signalling pathway that was shown to be dependent on E336-related conformational changes in alpha2beta1. Furthermore, the mutation E336A did neither prevent EV1 induced and alpha2beta1 mediated protein kinase C activation nor EV1 internalization. Thus, in its entry strategy EV1 seems to rely on the activation of signalling pathways that are dependent on alpha2beta1 clustering, but do not require the conformational regulation of the receptor.

Coxsackievirus A6 and hand, foot, and mouth disease, Finland.

During fall 2008, an outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) with onychomadesis (nail shedding) as a common feature occurred in Finland. We identified an unusual enterovirus type, coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6), as the causative agent. CVA6 infections may be emerging as a new and major cause of epidemic HFMD.

Rhinovirus infections in children: a retrospective and prospective hospital-based study.

To analyze clinical characteristics and prevalence of rhinovirus infections in children in the hospital, we reviewed a retrospective dataset from a 20-year period, and conducted a short-term prospective study. Records of children and adolescents treated at our hospital during 1987-2006 with a documented rhinovirus infection were reviewed and compared with patients with other respiratory virus infections. Prospective study included all children >or=1 month of age admitted to pediatric infectious disease ward during an autumn period. Rhinoviruses were detected by reverse transcription-PCR and/or culture, and sequence analysis was used for virus typing. In the retrospective study, the median age of 580 children with rhinovirus infection was 1.9 years (interquartile range, 1.0-4.3 years), and 27% had an underlying medical condition. Eighty-four children (16% of in-patients) were treated at pediatric intensive care unit. Twenty-one children (4%) had a hospital-acquired rhinovirus infection. In the prospective study, rhinoviruses were detected in 28% of 163 hospital episodes. Acute wheezing illness was diagnosed in 61% of children with rhinovirus and in 31% of children with respiratory syncytial virus, enterovirus, or no study virus (P < 0.001). One-half of sequence-analyzed rhinovirus strains belonged to the newly identified C group. In conclusion, rhinovirus infections are a frequent cause of pediatric hospitalizations, and they are common also at the intensive care unit. Acute wheezing is the most frequent manifestation in hospital setting, but the range of clinical presentations is wide. Group C rhinoviruses may account for a large part of rhinovirus hospitalizations.

Differential diagnosis of acute central nervous system infections in children using modern microbiological methods.

AIM: Except bacterial meningitis, the agents causing acute central nervous system (CNS) infections in children are disclosed in only approximately half of the cases, and even less in encephalitis. We studied the potential of modern microbiological assays to improve this poor situation. METHODS: In a prospective study during 3 years, all children attending hospital with suspected CNS infection were examined using a wide collection of microbiological tests using samples from the cerebrospinal fluid, serum, nasal swabs and stool. RESULTS: Among 213 patients, 66 (31%) cases suggested CNS infection and specific aetiology was identified in 56 patients. Of these microbiologically confirmed cases, viral meningitis/encephalitis was diagnosed in 25 (45%), bacterial meningitis in 21 (38%) and neuroborreliosis in 9 (16%) cases while 1 child had fungal infection. In meningitis patients, the causative agent was identified in 85% (35/41) cases and in encephalitis in 75% (12/16). The most common bacteria were Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcous pneumonie and Neisseria meningitidis, while the most frequently detected viruses were enteroviruses and varicella zoster virus. CONCLUSION: In 75% to 85% of paediatric CNS infections, specific microbiological diagnosis was obtained with modern laboratory techniques. The results pose a basis for prudent approach to these potentially serious diseases.

Integrin alphaVbeta6 is a high-affinity receptor for coxsackievirus A9.

Coxsackievirus A9 (CAV9), a member of the genus Enterovirus in the family Picornaviridae, possesses an integrin-binding arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif in the C terminus of VP1 capsid protein. CAV9 has been shown to utilize integrins alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6 as primary receptors for cell attachment. While CAV9 RGD-mutants (RGE and RGDdel) are capable of infecting rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell line, they grow very poorly in an epithelial lung carcinoma cell line (A549). In this study, the relationships between CAV9 infectivity in A549 and RD cells, receptor expression and integrin binding were analysed. A549 cells were shown to express both integrins alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6, whereas alphaVbeta6 expression was not detected on the RD cells. Native CAV9 but not RGE and RGDdel mutants bound efficiently to immobilized alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6. Adhesion of CAV9 but not RGE/RGDdel to A549 cells was also significantly higher than to RD cells. In contrast, no affinity or adhesion of bacterially produced VP1 proteins to the integrins or to the cells was detected. Function-blocking antibodies against alphaV-integrins blocked CAV9 but not CAV9-RGDdel infectivity, indicating that the viruses use different internalization routes; this may explain the differential infection kinetics of CAV9 and RGDdel. In an affinity assay, soluble alphaVbeta6, but not alphaVbeta3, bound to immobilized CAV9. Similarly, only soluble alphaVbeta6 blocked virus infectivity. These data suggest that CAV9 binding to alphaVbeta6 is a high-affinity interaction, which may indicate its importance in clinical infections; this remains to be determined.

Clinical effects of rhinovirus infections.

Rhinovirus is the major cause of common cold and frequently associates with acute wheezing, otitis media, sinusitis, and pneumonia. High prevalence of rhinovirus in hospitalized children and adults has been documented recently. We screened children > or =1 month of age, hospitalized for any infection, for the presence of rhinoviruses and recruited 24 families with > or =2 children for a 3-week follow-up study. Rhinovirus was detected in 46 (28%) of 163 hospitalizations by study children. Most rhinovirus-positive children (85%) had respiratory symptoms. During the follow-up, rhinoviruses were detected in virtually all children and in one-half of adults in families with a rhinovirus-positive index child, but commonly also in families with a rhinovirus-negative index child. Melting temperature and sequence analysis revealed the transmission routes of the viruses and showed that several virus types could circulate in the families simultaneously. Our studies corroborate the major contribution of rhinovirus to hospitalization of children, most often because of wheezing. Young children with respiratory symptoms are major spreaders of rhinovirus in family setting.

A Raft-derived, Pak1-regulated entry participates in alpha2beta1 integrin-dependent sorting to caveosomes.

We have previously shown that a human picornavirus echovirus 1 (EV1) is transported to caveosomes during 2 h together with its receptor alpha2beta1 integrin. Here, we show that the majority of early uptake does not occur through caveolae. alpha2beta1 integrin, clustered by antibodies or by EV1 binding, is initially internalized from lipid rafts into tubulovesicular structures. These vesicles accumulate fluid-phase markers but do not initially colocalize with caveolin-1 or internalized simian virus 40 (SV40). Furthermore, the internalized endosomes do not contain glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins or flotillin 1, suggesting that clustered alpha2beta1 integrin does not enter the GPI-anchored protein enriched endosomal compartment or flotillin pathways, respectively. Endosomes mature further into larger multivesicular bodies between 15 min to 2 h and concomitantly recruit caveolin-1 or SV40 inside. Cell entry is regulated by p21-activated kinase (Pak)1, Rac1, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, phospholipase C, and actin but not by dynamin 2 in SAOS-alpha2beta1 cells. An amiloride analog, 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropanyl) amiloride, blocks infection, causes integrin accumulation in early tubulovesicular structures, and prevents their structural maturation into multivesicular structures. Our results together suggest that alpha2beta1 integrin clustering defines its own entry pathway that is Pak1 dependent but clathrin and caveolin independent and that is able to sort cargo to caveosomes.

Rhinovirus transmission within families with children: incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections.

BACKGROUND: Rhinoviruses are the most common cause of respiratory tract infections, but the transmission in families has not been studied using sensitive and specific molecular detection methods. METHODS: Children hospitalized for any infection were screened for rhinoviruses. Eight families with a rhinovirus-positive index child and 16 families with a rhinovirus-negative index child were monitored for 3 weeks for disease symptoms, and the presence and quantity of rhinoviruses in nasal swab samples were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Rhinoviruses were further identified by melting temperature and partial sequence analysis. RESULTS: The rates of rhinovirus infection were 1.00 cases per person among the 17 siblings and 0.50 cases per person among the 14 parents of rhinovirus-positive index patients; the rates were 0.54 cases per person among the 24 siblings and 0.23 cases per person among the 30 parents of rhinovirus-negative index patients. Symptomatic infections were associated with an age of <7 years but not with a high copy number of rhinovirus genomes. Virus typing revealed the transmission routes of the viruses and showed that several virus types could circulate in the families simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinoviruses are frequently transmitted from children to other family members. Most rhinovirus infections in young children are symptomatic, but secondary infections in adults are often asymptomatic. Multiple virus types circulate simultaneously in families.

Calpain 1 and 2 are required for RNA replication of echovirus 1.

Calpains are calcium-dependent cysteine proteases that degrade cytoskeletal and cytoplasmic proteins. We have studied the role of calpains in the life cycle of human echovirus 1 (EV1). The calpain inhibitors, including calpeptin, calpain inhibitor 1, and calpain inhibitor 2 as well as calpain 1 and calpain 2 short interfering RNAs, completely blocked EV1 infection in the host cells. The effect of the inhibitors was not specific for EV1, because they also inhibited infection by other picornaviruses, namely, human parechovirus 1 and coxsackievirus B3. The importance of the calpains in EV1 infection also was supported by the fact that EV1 increased calpain activity 3 h postinfection. Confocal microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy showed that the EV1/caveolin-1-positive vesicles also contain calpain 1 and 2. Our results indicate that calpains are not required for virus entry but that they are important at a later stage of infection. Calpain inhibitors blocked the production of EV1 particles after microinjection of EV1 RNA into the cells, and they effectively inhibited the synthesis of viral RNA in the host cells. Thus, both calpain 1 and calpain 2 are essential for the replication of EV1 RNA.

Human bocavirus and acute wheezing in children.

BACKGROUND: Human bocavirus is a newly discovered parvovirus. It has been detected primarily in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection, but its occurrence, clinical profile, and role as a causative agent of respiratory tract disease are not clear. METHODS: We investigated the presence of human bocavirus by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens and selected serum samples obtained from 259 children (median age, 1.6 years) who had been hospitalized for acute expiratory wheezing. The samples were analyzed for 16 respiratory viruses by polymerase chain reaction, virus culture, antigen detection, and serological assays. RESULTS: At least 1 potential etiologic agent was detected in 95% of children, and >1 agent was detected in 34% of children. Human bocavirus was detected in 49 children (19%). A large proportion of the cases were mixed infections with other viruses, but human bocavirus was the only virus detected in 12 children (5%). High viral loads of human bocavirus were noted mainly in the absence of other viral agents, suggesting a causative role for acute wheezing. In addition, infections that had uncertain clinical relevance and low viral loads were prevalent. Human bocavirus DNA was frequently detected in serum specimens obtained from patients with acute wheezing, suggesting systemic infection. CONCLUSIONS: Human bocavirus is prevalent among children with acute wheezing and can cause systemic infection. Results suggest a model for bocavirus infection in which high viral loads are potentially associated with respiratory symptoms and low viral loads indicate asymptomatic shedding. Therefore, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis may be important for additional studies of human bocavirus.