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Review
. 2018 Feb 1:7:135.
doi: 10.12688/f1000research.12625.1. eCollection 2018.

Human metapneumovirus - what we know now

Nazly Shafagati  1 , John Williams  1
Affiliations
Review

Human metapneumovirus - what we know now

Nazly Shafagati et al. F1000Res. .

Abstract

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory infection, particularly in children, immunocompromised patients, and the elderly. HMPV, which is closely related to avian metapneumovirus subtype C, has circulated for at least 65 years, and nearly every child will be infected with HMPV by the age of 5. However, immunity is incomplete, and re-infections occur throughout adult life. Symptoms are similar to those of other respiratory viral infections, ranging from mild (cough, rhinorrhea, and fever) to more severe (bronchiolitis and pneumonia). The preferred method for diagnosis is reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction as HMPV is difficult to culture. Although there have been many advances made in the past 16 years since its discovery, there are still no US Food and Drug Administration-approved antivirals or vaccines available to treat HMPV. Both small animal and non-human primate models have been established for the study of HMPV. This review will focus on the epidemiology, transmission, and clinical manifestations in humans as well as the animal models of HMPV pathogenesis and host immune response.

Keywords: Viral pneumonia; acute respiratory infection; human metapneumovirus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: JVW serves on a Scientific Advisory Board of Quidel and an Independent Data Monitoring Committee for GlaxoSmithKline. NS has no competing interests.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.

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