Relevance of human metapneumovirus in exacerbations of COPD.
METHODS
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently discovered respiratory virus associated with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, croup and exacerbations of asthma. Since respiratory viruses are frequently detected in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AE-COPD) it was our aim to investigate the frequency of hMPV detection in a prospective cohort of hospitalized patients with AE-COPD compared to patients with stable COPD and to smokers without by means of quantitative real-time RT-PCR.


RESULTS
We analysed nasal lavage and induced sputum of 130 patients with AE-COPD, 65 patients with stable COPD and 34 smokers without COPD. HMPV was detected in 3/130 (2.3%) AE-COPD patients with a mean of 6.5 x 10(5) viral copies/ml in nasal lavage and 1.88 x 10(5) viral copies/ml in induced sputum. It was not found in patients with stable COPD or smokers without COPD.


CONCLUSIONS
HMPV is only found in a very small number of patients with AE-COPD. However it should be considered as a further possible viral trigger of AE-COPD because asymptomatic carriage is unlikely.
Rohde
G
G
Department of Internal Medicine III, Pneumology, Allergology and Sleep Medicine, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany. gernot.rohde@rub.de
Borg
I
I
Arinir
U
U
Kronsbein
J
J
Rausse
R
R
Bauer
T T
TT
Bufe
A
A
Schultze-Werninghaus
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*