Seroepidemiology of group I human coronaviruses in children

J Clin Virol. 2007 Nov;40(3):207-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.08.007. Epub 2007 Sep 21.

Abstract

Background: Recently, several new human coronaviruses have been identified.

Objectives: To define the seroepidemiology of group I human coronaviruses.

Study design: A recombinant protein enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on portions of the nucleocapsid protein of group I human coronaviruses was developed and was used to screen serum from 243 children and young adults.

Results: For HCoV-229E, the percentages of seropositive individuals were 57.1% for infants <2 months old; 38.9% for infants 2-3 months old; 4.7% for infants 4-5 months old; 42.9-50.0% for infants 6-12 months old; 34.8-62.5% for individuals 1-20 years old. For HCoV-NL63, the percentages of seropositive individuals were 45.2% for infants <2 months old; 11.1% for infants 2-3 months old; 4.7% for infants 4-5 months old; 28.6-40.0% for infants 6-12 months old; 25.0-70.3% for individuals 1-20 years old.

Conclusions: Infection with these viruses is common in childhood though the prevalence of these viruses may vary from year to year.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Coronavirus / classification
  • Coronavirus / immunology*
  • Coronavirus 229E, Human / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / chemistry
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / immunology*
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins