Outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Zoo, Slovenia

Abstract

We report a case of human metapneumovirus infection that spread from humans to chimpanzees and back to humans. Bronchopneumonia developed in 4 of 6 members of a chimpanzee family, and 2 subsequently died. The chimpanzees' keeper also became ill. Sequencing showed 100% identity between virus sequences from chimpanzees and the keeper.

Keywords: Slovenia; bronchopneumonia; chimpanzees; humans; infection; keeper; metapneumovirus; outbreak; respiratory infections; viruses; zoo.

Figure

Phylogenetic tree of human metapneumovirus fusion protein gene fragments (518 bp) from chimpanzees and a keeper in a zoo, Slovenia, compared with randomly selected sequences from other patients with human metapneumovirus infections. Fusion protein gene fragments were inferred by using the maximum-likelihood method under a Tamura–Nei substitution model. I indicates sequences obtained from patients hospitalized at the Infectious Disease Department, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia; P indicates sequences obtained from patients hospitalized at the Pediatric Department at the same centre. Sequences I1–I7 are from samples collected during June 3–28, 2013, and sequences P1–P5 are from samples collected during June 4–July 2, 2013. All sequences were obtained from patients in the central region of Slovenia. Sequences with accession numbers were selected from GenBank. Numbers along branches are bootstrap values. Scale bar indicates nucleotide substitutions per site.