Fernando TN, Dayananda D, Muthugala R. Human bocavirus: As an emerging respiratory pathogen. World J Virol 2025; 14(4): 115043 [DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v14.i4.115043]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Rohitha Muthugala, MD, Consultant, Head, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Institute, No. 527 Dr. Danister De Silva Mawatha, Colombo 00800, Western, Sri Lanka. rohithavm@yahoo.com
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Virology
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Minireviews
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 25, 2025 (publication date) through Dec 25, 2025
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Publication Name
World Journal of Virology
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2220-3249
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Fernando TN, Dayananda D, Muthugala R. Human bocavirus: As an emerging respiratory pathogen. World J Virol 2025; 14(4): 115043 [DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v14.i4.115043]
Tharushi Nawodhya Fernando, Dilakshini Dayananda, Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda 10290, Western, Sri Lanka
Rohitha Muthugala, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Institute, Colombo 00800, Western, Sri Lanka
Author contributions: Fernando TN conducted the literature search and drafted the manuscript; Dayananda D has conceptualized this manuscript and involved in revision and editing; Muthugala R has reviewed and edited the manuscript; all authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Rohitha Muthugala, MD, Consultant, Head, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Institute, No. 527 Dr. Danister De Silva Mawatha, Colombo 00800, Western, Sri Lanka. rohithavm@yahoo.com
Received: October 9, 2025 Revised: October 31, 2025 Accepted: December 10, 2025 Published online: December 25, 2025 Processing time: 80 Days and 15.8 Hours
Abstract
Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially among children. The human bocavirus (HBoV) is a non-enveloped DNA virus that was recently identified as a respiratory pathogen associated with respiratory tract infections (RTIs), predominantly in infants and young children. It is also detected from the gastrointestinal tract in children. The prevalence of HBoV1 acute respiratory tract infection varies across age groups, ranging from 10.3% to 12.51% in individuals under 3 years of age. The spectrum of clinical presentation includes mild upper RTIs, acute exacerbation of asthma, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and multi-organ failure. Although HBoV is often detected in patients with ARIs who have other respiratory viruses (17%-85%), recent studies have identified it as the sole aetiology for mild to severe ARIs. Children with pre-existing medical conditions infected with HBoV often have a risk of severe illness. HBoV infection is diagnosed primarily by detecting viral DNA in respiratory samples using molecular methods. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment for HBoV infections and the cases are managed symptomatically. General preventive measures used for the prevention of viral RTIs are applicable, as there is no effective vaccine against this virus. The HBoV has been implicated in RTIs, particularly in children, and has also been detected in cases of gastroenteritis. Despite its global prevalence, the exact pathogenic role of HBoV remains unclear due to frequent co-infections with other viruses. This mini-review discusses the virology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and potential treatment approaches related to HBoV infections.
Core Tip: Human bocavirus is a recently identified respiratory pathogen associated with respiratory tract infections. It can cause a wide range of clinical manifestations in the respiratory tract, either as a sole pathogen or in co-infections. High infection rates are detected among children less than three years of age. This mini-review describes virology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and potential treatment approaches related to human bocavirus respiratory tract infections.
