©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 21, 2016; 22(39): 8684-8697
Published online Oct 21, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i39.8684
Published online Oct 21, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i39.8684
Human bocavirus: Current knowledge and future challenges
Marcello Guido, Francesca Serio, Mattia De Giorgi, Antonella De Donno, Francesco Bagordo, Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Maria Rosaria Tumolo, Antonella Zizza, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Tiziano Verri, Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Alessandro Romano, Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
Author contributions: Guido M and Tumolo MR are co-first authors and equally contributed to this article; all authors contributed to the conception and design of the study, literature review and analysis, drafting, critical revision and editing of the manuscript, and approval of the final version to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interests for this article.
Correspondence to: Marcello Guido, Professor, Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, University of Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy. marcello.guido@unisalento.it
Telephone: +39-832-298686 Fax: +39-832-298626
Received: March 28, 2016
Peer-review started: April 1, 2016
First decision: May 12, 2016
Revised: August 30, 2016
Accepted: September 14, 2016
Article in press: September 14, 2016
Published online: October 21, 2016
Processing time: 205 Days and 22.2 Hours
Peer-review started: April 1, 2016
First decision: May 12, 2016
Revised: August 30, 2016
Accepted: September 14, 2016
Article in press: September 14, 2016
Published online: October 21, 2016
Processing time: 205 Days and 22.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Four genotypes compose the genus Bocavirus: Human bocavirus (HBoV) 1, predominantly found in the respiratory tract; and, HBoV2, 3 and 4, mainly detected in stool and associated with gastroenteritis. Despite worldwide occurrence, human bocavirus infection remains poorly understood, and the comprehension of many aspects of these viruses’ biology (i.e., taxonomy, phylogenetic relationships with other viruses, epidemiology, molecular mechanisms of interaction with human cells, association with other pathogens, etc.) is necessary to clarify whether they are harmless passengers or true pathogens. Development of new diagnostic tools for detection of human bocaviruses will support this type of research.