Lack of Association between Infection with a Novel Human Coronavirus ( Hcov), Hcov-Nh, and Kawasaki Disease in Taiwan

Abstract

We investigated whether infection with a novel human coronavirus (HCoV), called ‘New Haven coronavirus’ (HCoV- NH)-which is similar to and likely represents the same species as another novel HCoV, HCoV-NL63-is associated with Kawasaki disease (KD) in Taiwan. Fifty-three patients with KD were enrolled in our study. Serum, peripheral-blood mononuclear cells, nasopharyngeal aspirates, throat swabs, and rectal swabs from these patients were assayed for HCoV- NL63 by real-time reverse-transcriptase ( RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the throat swabs, nasopharyngeal aspirates, and rectal swabs were also assayed for HCoV-NH by RT-PCR. All PCR results were negative for both HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-NH; therefore, we did not find any association between HCoV-NH infection and KD in Taiwan.