China isolates newly-identified virus in child

BEIJING, Aug 21 (Reuters) Chinese scientists have diagnosed a child suffering from respiratory illness as being infected with the human bocavirus, which was only identified last year, an official newspaper reported today.

The child, from Chenzhou in the central Chinese province of Hunan, had been admitted to hospital with a severe respiratory infection, the Guangming Daily said.

DNA tests then confirmed the child had contracted the virus, the newspaper said. It did not give other details about the case.

Last August, Swedish researchers said they had identified a previously unknown virus that may cause many cases of serious respiratory infections in children.

They named the virus human bocavirus and suggested researchers start a systematic search for all the viruses that cause respiratory infections.

The report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, underlined how little doctors know about the sources of most respiratory infections.

Health experts say being able to quickly diagnose and treat respiratory illnesses is particularly important especially with growing fears that influenza, in particular avian influenza, could cause a global pandemic. China has reported 21 cases of bird flu in humans.

Being able to find out quickly what is making someone sick will allow antiviral medications to be dispensed early on to prevent serious illness in the case of influenza.

REUTERS LL DS1230