No abstract

We used a combination approach of conventional virus isolation and molecular techniques to detect human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Of the 48 study patients, 25 (52.1%) were infected with HMPV; 6 of these 25 patients were also infected with coronavirus, and another 5 patients (10.4%) were infected with coronavirus alone. Using this combination approach, we found that human laryngeal carcinoma (HEp-2) cells were superior to rhesus monkey kidney (LLC-MK2) cells commonly used in previous studies for isolation of HMPV. These widely available HEp-2 cells should be included in conjunction with a molecular method for cell culture followup to detect HMPV, particularly in patients with SARS.

Background:The progression to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in infected very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) infants is difficult to predict with precision at the onset of sepsis. We investigated the immunologic profiles of preterm infants with sepsis, using chemokine and cytokine measurements to predict the development of sepsis-induced DIC at the onset of infection.