title: Viral load and acute otitis media development after human metapneumovirus upper respiratory tract infection.
abstract: The role of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in acute otitis media complicating upper respiratory tract infection (URI) was studied. Nasopharyngeal specimens from 700 URI episodes in 200 children were evaluated; 47 (7%) were positive for hMPV, 25 (3.6%) with hMPV as the only virus. Overall, 24% of URI episodes with hMPV only were complicated by acute otitis media, which was the lowest rate compared with other respiratory viruses. hMPV viral load was significantly higher in children with fever, but there was no difference in viral load in children with hMPV-positive URI with or without acute otitis media complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of *Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nokso-Koivisto
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pyles
authors.forename: Aaron L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Janak A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loeffelholz
authors.forename: Tasnee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chonmaitree
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load