Prevalence of human metapneumovirus among hospitalized children younger than 1 year in Catalonia, Spain

Abstract

Human metapneumovirus was discovered recently respiratory virus implicated in both upper and lower respiratory tract infection. In children, the clinical symptoms of human metapneumovirus are similar to those produced by respiratory syncytial virus, ranging from mild to severe diseases such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of human metapneumovirus and other common respiratory viruses among admitted to hospital infants. From January 2006 to June 2006, 99 nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from hospitalized children younger than 12 months in order to study respiratory viruses. Human metapneumovirus detection was performed by cell culture and two RT-PCR targeting on polymerase and fusion genes. The latter gene was used for phylogenetic analysis. In 67/99 children (67%) at least one viral pathogen was identified, the viruses detected most frequently were respiratory syncytial virus (35%), human metapneumovirus (25%) and rhinovirus (19%). The results obtained in this study, show that: (1) human metapneumovirus is one of the most important viruses among children less than 12 months; (2) children infected with human metapneumovirus were significantly older than those infected by respiratory syncytial virus; (3) human metapneumovirus was associated more frequently with pneumonia whereas respiratory syncytial virus was only detected in patients with bronchiolitis; (4) there was a clear epidemiological succession pattern with only a small overlap among the viruses detected most frequently; (5) all human metapneumovirus samples were clustered within sublineage A2.

Genetic variability of human metapneumo‐ and bocaviruses in children with respiratory tract infections

“…The observation of only one circulating lineage among the study population was also mentioned in other studies. In Spain,31 Italy32 and China33,34 circulation of HMPV A2 lineage was reported. However, a number of studies have indicated that circulating predominant strains may vary on an annual basis and that their replacement may occur, on average, every 1–3 years 35,36…”

Viral pneumonia

“…In immunocompetent individuals, rhinoviral clearance after symptomatic infection is rapid (average 1-3 weeks). 18 Pneumonia was diagnosed in 10% of children admitted with acute human metapneumovirus respiratory infection, [63][64][65][66] with the highest prevalence (44%) in infants younger than 12 months. 66 It has also been recorded in 11-75% of children with human bocavirus infection.…”

“…18 Pneumonia was diagnosed in 10% of children admitted with acute human metapneumovirus respiratory infection, [63][64][65][66] with the highest prevalence (44%) in infants younger than 12 months. 66 It has also been recorded in 11-75% of children with human bocavirus infection. 67 In a study from Thailand of infants younger than 5 years admitted with pneumonia, human bocavirus was the third most prevalent agent detected, after rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus, accounting for 12% of all cases.…”

A placebo-controlled trial of Korean red ginseng extract for preventing Influenza-like illness in healthy adults

“…Respiratory viruses are a major cause of influenza-like illness(ILI) symptoms in children and adults, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality each year [1][2][3][4][5]. The complications of ILI symptoms may occur in young children (< 1 year old) and elderly people (> 65 years old), even though ILI symptoms is most often self-limited and restrained to the upper respiratory tract [6][7][8].…”

“…brief study schedule at every visit. Item need to be performed during the visit 1 Sex, date of birth, age, contact address and phone number 2 Include present illness, past history taking3 Frequency of ILI symptom onset, severity of ILI symptoms, and duration of ILI symptoms4 Blood test (WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets count, AST, ALT, ALP, gamma-GTP, albumin, BUN, creatinine, glucose, total bilirubin, total protein), urine test (specific gravity, pH, protein, ketone, glucose, bilirubin, urobilinogen, nitrite, microscopic (RBC, WBC))…”