Human metapneumovirus.
Respiratory tract infections (RTI) are the leading cause of death in low-income countries and the second leading cause of death worldwide in children less than 5 years old. Most RTI are viral. Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was discovered in 2001 in routine viral cultures of respiratory specimens from children with RTI and has been implicated as a common cause of RTI in children and adults and a cause of severe disease in immunocompromised hosts. This article describes the microbiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, long-term outcome, immunity and reinfection of hMPV.
Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Christina R
CR
Hermos
Sara O
SO
Vargas
Alexander J
AJ
McAdam
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests