The changing face of pediatric respiratory tract infections: how human metapneumovirus and human bocavirus fit into the overall etiology of respiratory tract infections in young children.

Open Access
  • 1 December 2010
    • journal article
    • review article
    • Vol. 83  (4) , 193-200
Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infections are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Recent technological advances in the field of molecular biology have allowed virologists to detect many previously undetected viral pathogens. Two of these, human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and human bocavirus (HBoV), are of particular clinical interest to pediatric health care providers. This review discusses the most common viral respiratory infections in children, explores the role of newly discovered respiratory pathogens, and describes techniques for the diagnosis of viral respiratory infections.