title: [Detection of human metapneumovirus in children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory infection in Santiago, Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has recently been described as a new causal agent of acute low respiratory infection (ALRI) in children. In South America, detection has been reported only in Brazil and Argentina.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect hMPV in children hospitalized for ALRI in Santiago, Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect N gene of hMPV in 182 nasopharyngeal aspirates that were negative for common respiratory viruses, obtained from children hospitalized for ALRI during 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten samples (5.4%) were positive, most of them detected during spring months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since hMPV was detected among infants with ALRI in Santiago, further studies on their prevalence should be done in South America.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Virología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. vluchsin@med.uchile.cl
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Luchsinger
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: Luis Fidel
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Avendaño
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction