Burden of disease due to human coronavirus NL63 infections and periodicity of infection.

Background: The disease burden caused by recently identified respiratory viruses like HCoV-NL63 is unknown.

Objectives: We determined the burden of disease due to HCoV-NL63 infections using the population-based PRI.DE cohort of children under the age of 3 with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).

Detection of human viruses in rivers of a densly-populated area in Germany using a virus adsorption elution method optimized for PCR analyses.

Transmission of viruses via surface water is a major public health concern. To determine the viral concentration in rivers of a densely-populated area in Germany, the virus adsorption elution (VIRADEL) method was optimized for downstream PCR applications. Using a high-salt alkaline phosphate buffer for elution, the median recovery efficiency from spiked 1l water samples ranged from 21.

Croup is associated with the novel coronavirus NL63.

Background: The clinical relevance of infections with the novel human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) has not been investigated systematically. We therefore determined its association with disease in young children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).

Methods And Findings: Nine hundred forty-nine samples of nasopharyngeal secretions from children under 3 y of age with LRTIs were analysed by a quantitative HCoV-NL63-specific real-time PCR.