General
Information | Clinical Symptoms | Epidemiology
Human Metapneumovirus
- Clinical Symptoms
Clinical symptoms
A wide spectrum of clinical
symptoms is associated with hMPV infection. In the general community,
hMPV-infected adults mainly suffer from upper respiratory tract
illnesses (common cold-like symptoms) such as cough, rhinorrhea,
hoarseness, sore throat and sometimes fever. In hospitalised
children, patients with underlying disease, immunocompromised
individuals, and fragile elderly, hMPV disease may be more severe,
involving the lower respiratory tract. Clinical diagnoses may
range from rhinopharyngitis to bronchitis and pneumonia, and
some patients may be admitted to intensive care units. In addition,
diarrhea, vomiting, rash, febrile seizures, feeding difficulties,
conjunctivitis and otitis media have all been reported. The
wide spectrum of hMPV-induced illnesses reported thus far are
similar to those caused by RSV and influenza virus infections.
|