Researchers at the National University of Cordoba (UNC) have detected an infectious agent called Bocavirus 1, which causes respiratory illness in boys and girls under 5 years old. especially babies The academic institution’s UNCiencia website posted the news, which can lead to pneumonia and other long-term complications.
The survey was conducted by José Vanela Institute of Virology and chairman Medical School Pediatric Clinic from the Institute for Advanced Study, who studied samples collected from intensive care units Trinity Children’s Hospitaldepending on the province, is located in the city of Córdoba.
The report details that the bacterium “bocavirus type 1” is First discovered in 2005despite being discovered nearly 20 years ago, many aspects remain in question.
they use in research Molecular detection technology (PCR) found that the condition was more common in pediatric patients with acute respiratory infections.
He also warned that Bocavirus 1 May cause severe respiratory infectionand take patients under 2 years old admitted to the hospital as an example intensive treatment Twenty-eight per cent of cases from Trinity Children’s Hospital were detected there.
researcher laura beatrice morenoThis pathology “is important because it can cause severe symptoms of viral pneumonia,” said the clinical director of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Bocavirus 1 belongs to the following viral families: Parvovirusit can affect animals, which is where it gets its name: bo (cow) and ca (dog).
Maria Pilar Adamo“This is not a newly emerged virus,” said a researcher at the University of North Carolina’s José Vanela Institute of Virology. “It’s new because we only discovered it recently, but it’s already here.”
Boca virus symptoms
The purpose of this case is to further the study of the effects of respiratory infections and their symptoms in boys and girls.
In Argentina, both pneumonia as Bronchiolitis These are two mandatory notification events. Health workers (public and private) must declare cases to the national ministry of health to develop surveillance strategies, they added in the report.
The study includes Sample of 141 hospitalized patients under 2 years of age In the intensive care unit of Children’s Hospital with a respiratory infection. The analysis period is from April 2021 to the same month in 2022, and the average age of the affected population is 5 months.
turn out At least one virus was detected in 80% of cases. Respiratory syncytial virus was found in 71.6% and bocavirus type 1 was found in 28%. Five patients were infected with baculovirus type 1 only.
The team confirmed that the virus behaves very similarly to syncytial viruses. It affects the respiratory system and usually does not cause gastrointestinal symptoms. It is also suspected that it may worsen asthma or wheezing.
Finally, the report concludes broadly that More research is needed to better understand how the virus behaves breathe.
Falling temperatures and people spending long periods in closed environments can lead to an increase in cases. In winter, the demand for intensive treatment for children under 5 years old increases by approximately 40%.
“We are conducting studies using donor serum to determine whether antibodies present in the blood can help detect viral antigens in respiratory samples,” Adamo said.