title: Human metapneumovirus infections in children.
abstract: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important cause of lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized children, but the age-related incidence and effect of hMPV in unselected children in the community have not been evaluated. We studied a cohort of 1,338 children <13 years of age throughout 1 respiratory season in Finland during 2000-2001. We examined children and obtained a nasal swab for viral detection at any sign of respiratory infection. hMPV was detected in 47 (3.5%) of the 1,338 children. The age-related incidence of hMPV infection was highest (7.6%) in children <2 years of age, in whom hMPV accounted for 1.7% of all infections during the season. During the epidemic peak, hMPV caused 7.1% of all respiratory infections in the cohort. Acute otitis media developed in 61% of hMPV-infected children <3 years of age. Our findings demonstrate that the effect of hMPV in the community is greatest in children <2 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. terho.heikkinen@utu.fi
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osterback
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jartti
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vainionpää
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons