The Pediatric Burden of Human Coronaviruses Evaluated for Twenty Years

Background: The epidemiology of human coronaviruses (HCoVs) has not been established using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques in a specimen collection that spans decades. Methods: We used real-time RT-PCR for 3 HCoVs, HCoV 229E, OC43, and NL63, to test nasal wash specimens that had been obtained from a cohort of children <5 years of age with upper or lower respiratory infection (URI, LRI) who were comprehensively followed...