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An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
Human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus, Brazil
Luis E Cuevas1, Abubaker M Ben Nasser, Winifred Dove
1Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK. lcuevas@liv.ac.uk
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|January 15, 2004
Insights
In Brazil, human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) caused acute respiratory infections in 111 children. RSV was the most common cause, often occurring alone.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) pose a significant health burden in children worldwide.
- Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are key viral etiologies of pediatric ARIs.
- Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of these infections is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the epidemiologic and clinical features of ARIs caused by HMPV, RSV, or both in children in northeast Brazil.
- To determine the relative contributions of HMPV and RSV to pediatric respiratory illness during a specific outbreak period.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical and demographic data from 111 children diagnosed with ARIs.
- Inclusion criteria: children attending clinics/hospitals in Aracaju, Brazil, in May-June 2002, with confirmed HMPV, RSV, or co-infection.
- Viral detection methods were employed to identify causative agents (HMPV, RSV).
Main Results:
- A total of 111 children were included in the study.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) alone accounted for the majority of infections (53 children, 48%).
- Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) alone was identified in 19 children (17%), and RSV/HMPV co-infections occurred in 8 children (7%).
Conclusions:
- RSV was the predominant viral pathogen associated with acute respiratory infections in this cohort of Brazilian children.
- HMPV also contributed to pediatric respiratory illness, highlighting its role alongside RSV.
- The findings underscore the importance of considering both RSV and HMPV in the diagnosis and management of ARIs in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
We describe the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of 111 children attending clinics and hospitals in Aracaju, northeast Brazil, with acute respiratory infections attributable to human metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or both in May and June 2002. Fifty-three (48%) children were infected with RSV alone, 19 (17%) with HMPV alone, and 8 (7%) had RSV/HMPV co-infections.
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