Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are the viruses that cause human parainfluenza. HPIVs are a paraphyletic group of four distinct single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family. These viruses are closely associated with both human and veterinary disease.[2] Virions are approximately 150–250 nm in size and contain negative sense RNA with a genome encompassing about 15,000 nucleotides.[3]
The viruses can be detected via cell culture, immunofluorescent microscopy, and PCR.[4] HPIVs remain the second main cause of hospitalisation in children under 5 years of age for a respiratory illness (only respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes more respiratory hospitalisations for this age group).[5]