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Metapneumovirus and its place in childhood

Rolando Ulloa-Gutierrez1

  • 1Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division, British Columbia Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Paediatrics & Child Health
|December 19, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) causes respiratory infections in all ages, particularly in young children. Diagnosis is key when other viruses are negative, as severe illness like bronchiolitis can occur without specific treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently identified viral pathogen.
  • It causes acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections in children and adults.
  • hMPV shares epidemiological similarities with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of hMPV infections.
  • To highlight the importance of considering hMPV in pediatric respiratory illness.
  • To inform clinical suspicion and diagnosis of hMPV.

Main Methods:

  • Epidemiological data analysis.
  • Clinical case reviews.
  • Symptomatic and etiological diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • hMPV has a worldwide distribution, with infections peaking in winter.
  • Nearly all children are infected by age five.
  • Common symptoms include fever, rhinorrhea, cough, and wheezing; bronchiolitis and pneumonia are frequent, especially in hospitalized children.

Conclusions:

  • hMPV is a significant cause of respiratory illness in children and adults.
  • Clinical suspicion should be heightened in cases with negative tests for common viral pathogens.
  • Supportive care is the current management strategy as no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine is available.
Keywords:
CanadaHuman metapneumovirusRespiratory tract infections

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