hMPV may be spreading in China. Here’s what you need to know about this virus and why it’s not a cause for concern

Five years after the first news about Covid-19 latest reports A little-known respiratory virus in China may, understandably, raise concerns.

Chinese authorities have issued warnings about human metapneumovirus (hMPV) for the first time in 2023But media reports indicate that the number of cases may augment again during the winter season in China.

In most people, hMPV causes symptoms similar to those of a chilly or flu. In infrequent cases, hMPV can lead to severe infections. However, this is unlikely to cause another pandemic.

What is hMPV?

hMPV was first discovered in 2001 by scientists from the Netherlands in a group of children who tested negative for other known respiratory viruses.

But it was probably much earlier. Sample testing from the 1950s showed antibodies to this virus, suggesting that infections have been common for at least several decades. Studies from found hMPV in almost all regions of the world.

Australian data from before the Covid-19 pandemic showed that hMPV was the third most frequently detected virus in adults and children with respiratory infections. Two were the most common in adults flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), while in children they were RSV and parainfluenza.

Like the flu, hMPV is a more solemn disease smaller AND senior People.

Research suggests that most children are at risk early in life most children up to five years of age with antibodies indicating previous infection. Overall, this reduces the severity of subsequent infections in older children and adults.

In teenage children, hMPV most often causes upper respiratory tract infections, the symptoms of which include a runny nose, sore throat, fever, and ear infections. These symptoms usually disappear within a few days to a week in childrenand 1–2 weeks in adults.

Although most hMPV infections are relatively subtle, they can cause more solemn illness in people with underlying conditions such as heart disease. Complications may include pneumoniawith shortness of breath, fever and wheezing. hMPV may also worsen pre-existing lung diseases such as asthma or emphysema. Additionally, infection may be serious in people with a weakened immune system, especially in people who have had a bone marrow or lung transplant.

However, the overall subtle nature of the disease, the widespread detection of antibodies reflecting the exposure and immunity of the general population, combined with the lack of known major hMPV pandemics in the past, suggest that there is no cause for concern.

Are there any vaccines or treatments?

hMPV is assumed to be transmitted by contact respiratory secretionsby air or on contaminated surfaces. Therefore, practicing personal hygiene and avoiding close contact with other people when unwell should reduce the risk of transmission.

The virus is a distant cousin of RSV, against which immunization products, including vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, have recently become available. This gave hope that similar products could be developed for hMPV i Modern recently began research on an hMPV mRNA vaccine.

There are no therapies whose effectiveness has been clearly proven. But for seriously ill patients some antiviral drugs may bring some benefits.

Why are we hearing so many reports of respiratory viruses now?

The nature of many respiratory infections has changed since the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, Australia has flu seasons it started earlier (peaking in June–July, not August–September).

Many countries, including Australia, are reporting increased cases of whooping cough (whooping cough).

There have been reports of an augment in cases in China mycoplasmabacterial cause of pneumonia, as well as influenza and hMPV.

There are many factors that may have influenced the epidemiology of respiratory pathogens. These include a pause in respiratory virus transmission due to public health measures taken during the Covid pandemic, environmental factors such as climate change, and for some diseases, post-pandemic changes in vaccination coverage. It may also be a common variant that we see with respiratory infections – for example, whooping cough epidemics occur every 3-4 years.

We don’t have a stable version for hMPV in Australia yet surveillance systems to create a good picture of what a “normal” hMPV season looks like. Therefore, in the face of international reports of outbreaks, it will be vital to monitor available data on hMPV and other respiratory viruses to inform local public health policy.