Human coronavirus NL63 in hospitalized children with respiratory infection: a 2-year study from Chongqing, China.

Human coronavirus (HCoV) NL63, a newly discovered coronavirus, has been associated with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI). We detected HCoV-NL63 via reverse transcriptional PCR (RT-PCR) in eight out of 878 respiratory specimens freshly collected from hospitalized children with ALRTI between April 2006 and March 2008 in Childrens Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Peak of HCoV-NL63 activity often appeared during the summer and autumn in Chongqing area. All children with HCoV-NL63 infection were <1 year of age. The diagnosis included bronchial pneumonia, bronchitis, interstitial pneumonia and bronchiolitis. All children recovered.