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Human metapneumovirus as a cause of community-acquired respiratory illness

Joanne Stockton1, Iain Stephenson, Douglas Fleming

  • 1Public Health Laboratory Service Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom. jstockton@phls.org.uk

Emerging Infectious Diseases
|August 27, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) caused community-acquired acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) in 2.2% of patients with influenza-like illness. This newly identified virus requires further study to understand its associated illnesses and complications.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a recently identified Paramyxovirus.
  • HMPV was first isolated from hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence of HMPV in patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) to general practitioners.
  • To identify HMPV in individuals who tested negative for influenza and Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV).

Main Methods:

  • National virologic surveillance in England and Wales during winter 2000-01.
  • Collection of combined nose and throat swabs from patients with ILI.
  • Screening using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for HMPV, influenza A/B, and HRSV (A/B).
  • Sequencing of PCR products for HMPV confirmation and phylogenetic analysis.

Main Results:

  • Out of 711 submitted swabs, 408 (57.3%) were negative for influenza and HRSV.
  • HMPV was detected in 9 (2.2%) patients with ILI.
  • Phylogenetic analysis was performed on confirmed HMPV samples.

Conclusions:

  • HMPV is associated with community-acquired acute respiratory tract infections.
  • Further research is needed to determine the full spectrum of illness and potential complications caused by HMPV.

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