Human metapneumovirus

Human metapneumovirus
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) structure and genome
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Negarnaviricota
Class: Monjiviricetes
Order: Mononegavirales
Family: Pneumoviridae
Genus: Metapneumovirus
Species:
Human metapneumovirus

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV or hMPV) is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Pneumoviridae[1] and is closely related to the Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) subgroup C. It was isolated for the first time in 2001 in the Netherlands by using the RAP-PCR (RNA arbitrarily primed PCR) technique for identification of unknown viruses growing in cultured cells.[2] As of 2016, it was the second most common cause (after respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)) of acute respiratory tract illness in otherwise-healthy children under the age of 5 in a large US outpatient clinic.[3]

The peak age of hospitalization for infants with HMPV occurs between 6–12 months of age, slightly older than the peak of RSV, which is around 2–3 months. The clinical features and severity of HMPV are similar to those of RSV. HMPV is also an important cause of disease in older adults.

  1. ^ "ICTV Online (10th) Report".
  2. ^ van den Hoogen, Bernadette G.; Jong, Jan C. de; Groen, Jan; Kuiken, Thijs; Groot, Ronald de; Fouchier, Ron A.M.; Osterhaus, Albert D.M.E. (2001). "A newly discovered human pneumovirus isolated from young children with respiratory tract disease". Nature Medicine. 7 (6): 719–724. doi:10.1038/89098. PMC 7095854. PMID 11385510.
  3. ^ Williams, John V.; Harris, Paul A.; Tollefson, Sharon J.; Halburnt-Rush, Lisa L.; Pingsterhaus, Joyce M.; Edwards, Kathryn M.; Wright, Peter F.; Crowe, James E. Jr. (2004-01-29). "Human Metapneumovirus and Lower Respiratory Tract Disease in Otherwise Healthy Infants and Children". New England Journal of Medicine. 350 (5): 443–450. doi:10.1056/nejmoa025472. ISSN 0028-4793. PMC 1831873. PMID 14749452.