Another respiratory virus called HMPV has begun to proliferate as instances of COVID-19 and RSV drop. For the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), around 11% of PCR tests and 20% of antigen testing were positive in the US in March. Comparing the positive rate to pre-pandemic values, a 36% rise has been observed. The percentages declined in May despite being high in April.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated in a report that there has been a decline in positive rates during the warmer months, which is similar to what has been seen with the flu and colds. According to the statistics, on April 3, 2023, the rates for antigen detection and PCR detection were 19.395 and 10.368 respectively. By May 20, 2023, those rates had dropped to 0.000 and 2.558, respectively. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) can infect the upper and lower respiratory tracts of people of any age, according to a report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, but older people, children, and those with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to infection.
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza, measles, and mumps are further paramyxoviruses
Severe HMPV infections might cause pneumonia or bronchitis. HMPV typically takes three to six days to incubate, and the length of time it takes to recover depends on how severe the disease is. It resembles other respiratory illnesses, such colds, though. Human metapneumovirus is a subtype of the paramyxovirus family, which is a group of viruses that can cause a variety of typical diseases. It was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001. The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza, measles, and mumps are further paramyxoviruses.
“This one usually causes a cold — not a big deal in most individuals,” stated Monica Gandhi, an infectious-disease expert at the University of California in San Francisco.In 2001, experts collected 28 samples from children who were suffering from unexplained respiratory infections. A few children were very ill and needed mechanical ventilation, but their test results didn’t show positive for any known pathogens.
Human metapneumovirus cases have increased, similar to other respiratory infections
Human metapneumovirus cases have increased, similar to other respiratory infections. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention noted notable spikes in cases this month across the country. Virus scientists claim that there has been a rise in the prevalence of viruses, including RSV.
The coronavirus pandemic-related lockdowns and masking may have contributed to this, according to expert speculation. According to researchers, even minor encounters with viruses can help our bodies become more resilient to future virus exposure. However, youngsters have fewer biological defences to combat the exposure to several viruses at once following years of social isolation and masking at school.
The upper respiratory tract is most frequently affected by the virus, which has been seen to typically manifest itself in the spring and winter. Nasal congestion, a cough, shortness of breath, and fever are some of the symptoms it causes. Three to seven days are the typical length of the illness. Human metapneumovirus is often moderate, but in elderly adults, children, younger adults, and those with compromised immune systems, the infection can have more significant effects.
According to the CDC, human metapneumovirus has been spreading similarly to other viruses through airborne particles produced by coughing and sneezing, physical contact with an infected person, or handling objects contaminated with the virus before touching the nose, eyes, or mouth.
Gandhi emphasised that the virus can spread even from someone who is asymptomatic. As per a study, at least 38 per cent of infections are recorded as asymptomatic human metapneumovirus infections. “But the time you’re most infectious in all infectious diseases is when you’re having active symptoms because you’re spreading it — you’re coughing it out through your mouth, you’re sneezing it out through your nose,” Gandhi stated.
Unlike the novel coronavirus and its variants that cause covid, human metapneumovirus is a respiratory virus that has been around for decades
Human metapneumovirus has not yet given rise to any vaccinations, and there is still no cure for the sickness other than supportive care. “We try to make you feel better and make sure that your breathing is okay while your body fights off the virus,” stated William Schaffner, who is a professor of infectious diseases and preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University.
Schaffner said that severe cases are rare in which people have been reported to be facing difficulty in breathing. However, he added, “We can put them in an intensive care unit and treat them there,” but generally people fully recover on their own. “Unlike the novel coronavirus and its variants that cause covid, human metapneumovirus is a respiratory virus that has been around for decades,” Gandhi said. “Hopefully, in the future, we will actually see advances against human metapneumovirus. But we’ve been living with it for a long time. This is not one that is going to cause a pandemic,” she stated.