[Human metapneumovirus infection in children with acute respiratory tract inflammation in Urumuqi]

Abstract

Objective: To understand whether human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is one of the pathogens leading to the children's respiratory infections in Urumqi.

Methods: A total number of 209 samples were collected in the People's General Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from November 2006 to April 2007 with some from the hospitalized children, while the others from outpatient clinic. Specimens included nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) and swabs were analyzed. Samples were all tested hMPV M gene by RT-PCR while the two positive PCR amplicons were sequenced and compared with other hMPV in GenBank by Blast and DNAstar.

Results: Of all the 209 samples, two positive ones were tested. The identities between them were 83.8%. Results from Phylogenetic analysis showed that they might belong to two different clusters.

Conclusion: hMPV was one of the pathogens leading to the children's respiratory tract infections in Urumqi, with two different hMPV groups existed in the same season.