Epidemiology

Clinical Impact

Several epidemiological surveys on hMPV infection have documented cases of metapneumovirus in Europe, Africa, Asia/Australia, Southern America, and Northern America.

Worlwide, hMPV accounts for a significant portion of respiratory tract illnesses in hospitalised children, with high incidences occurring during the winter months in moderate climate zones and late spring-early summer in the subtropics. hMPV accounts for roughly 5 to 15% of the respiratory tract illnesses in hospitalised young children, with children <2 years of age being most at risk for serious hMPV infections. hMPV infections, like RSV and influenza virus infections, also account for respiratory tract infections in the elderly population and in patients with underlying disease.

Current References

Anderson, E. J., E. A. F. SimoĢƒes, et al. (2012). “Prevalence and Characteristics of Human Metapneumovirus Infection Among Hospitalized Children at High Risk for Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infection.” Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 1(3): 212-222.

Edwards, K. M., Y. Zhu, et al. (2013). “Burden of human metapneumovirus infection in young children.” N Engl J Med 368(7): 633-643.

L. E., S. F. Thijsen, et al. (2013). “Human metapneumovirus in adults.” Viruses 5(1): 87-110.