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Review
. 2025 Feb 1;17(2):e78354.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.78354. eCollection 2025 Feb.

A Re-emerging Respiratory Virus: Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV)

Baijayantimala Mishra  1 , Diksha Mohapatra  1 , Manisha Tripathy  1 , Prabhudutta Mamidi  1 , Prasanta R Mohapatra  2
Affiliations
Review

A Re-emerging Respiratory Virus: Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV)

Baijayantimala Mishra et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is identified as a pathogenic agent responsible for respiratory tract infections in paediatric, adult and elderly populations. It is a spherical, enveloped virus with a diameter of 209nm, consisting of a single-stranded, non-segmented, and negative-sense RNA genome of around 13.3 kb in length. hMPV infection is prevalent all around the globe, with peak positivity rates detected mostly during later winter and spring seasons. Mostly transmitted through droplet or aerosol contamination, this viral infection may manifest clinical characteristics indicative of both upper and lower respiratory tract infections like fever, cough, rhinorrhea, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and croup. The recommended laboratory diagnostic approach is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, given the challenges associated with culturing the virus. This review article focuses on the structure, replication, genotype, epidemiology, seasonality, transmission methods, clinical manifestations in humans, treatment methodology, and outbreaks of hMPV that have been reported worldwide.

Keywords: epidemiology; human metapneumovirus; outbreak; respiratory tract infections; virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) outbreaks reported worldwide from 2001-2024
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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