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Microbiology Spectrum Oct 2014Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a paramyxovirus identified in 2001, is a leading cause of respiratory tract infections in both children and adults. Seroprevalence studies... (Review)
Review
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a paramyxovirus identified in 2001, is a leading cause of respiratory tract infections in both children and adults. Seroprevalence studies demonstrate that the primary infection occurs before the age of 5 years, and humans are reinfected throughout life. The four subgroups of HMPV occur with year-to-year variability, and infection with one subgroup confers some serologic cross-protection. Experimental vaccines elicit a humoral response in both animal and human models and have been used to identify antigenic determinants. The main target of protective antibodies is the fusion (F) protein, although many of the remaining eight proteins are immunogenic. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the F protein are both protective and therapeutic in animal models. Most recently, the identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies against HMPV and respiratory syncytial virus demonstrates that common epitopes are present between the two viruses. Broadly neutralizing mAbs have significant clinical implications for prophylaxis and treatment of high-risk hosts as well as vaccine development.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Cross Protection; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Humans; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 26104361
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.AID-0020-2014 -
The Lancet. Global Health Jan 2021Human metapneumovirus is a common virus associated with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) in children. No global burden estimates are available for ALRIs...
BACKGROUND
Human metapneumovirus is a common virus associated with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) in children. No global burden estimates are available for ALRIs associated with human metapneumovirus in children, and no licensed vaccines or drugs exist for human metapneumovirus infections. We aimed to estimate the age-stratified human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI global incidence, hospital admissions, and mortality burden in children younger than 5 years.
METHODS
We estimated the global burden of human metapneumovirus-associated ALRIs in children younger than 5 years from a systematic review of 119 studies published between Jan 1, 2001, and Dec 31, 2019, and a further 40 high quality unpublished studies. We assessed risk of bias using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We estimated incidence, hospital admission rates, and in-hospital case-fatality ratios (hCFRs) of human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI using a generalised linear mixed model. We applied incidence and hospital admission rates of human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI to population estimates to yield the morbidity burden estimates by age bands and World Bank income levels. We also estimated human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI in-hospital deaths and overall human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI deaths (both in-hospital and non-hospital deaths). Additionally, we estimated human metapneumovirus-attributable ALRI cases, hospital admissions, and deaths by combining human metapneumovirus-associated burden estimates and attributable fractions of human metapneumovirus in laboratory-confirmed human metapneumovirus cases and deaths.
FINDINGS
In 2018, among children younger than 5 years globally, there were an estimated 14·2 million human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI cases (uncertainty range [UR] 10·2 million to 20·1 million), 643 000 human metapneumovirus-associated hospital admissions (UR 425 000 to 977 000), 7700 human metapneumovirus-associated in-hospital deaths (2600 to 48 800), and 16 100 overall (hospital and community) human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI deaths (5700 to 88 000). An estimated 11·1 million ALRI cases (UR 8·0 million to 15·7 million), 502 000 ALRI hospital admissions (UR 332 000 to 762 000), and 11 300 ALRI deaths (4000 to 61 600) could be causally attributed to human metapneumovirus in 2018. Around 58% of the hospital admissions were in infants under 12 months, and 64% of in-hospital deaths occurred in infants younger than 6 months, of which 79% occurred in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
INTERPRETATION
Infants younger than 1 year have disproportionately high risks of severe human metapneumovirus infections across all World Bank income regions and all child mortality settings, similar to respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus. Infants younger than 6 months in low-income and lower-middle-income countries are at greater risk of death from human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI than older children and those in upper-middle-income and high-income countries. Our mortality estimates demonstrate the importance of intervention strategies for infants across all settings, and warrant continued efforts to improve the outcome of human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI among young infants in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
FUNDING
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Topics: Acute Disease; Child, Preschool; Cost of Illness; Female; Global Health; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Linear Models; Male; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 33248481
DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30393-4 -
Virology Journal Oct 2018Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human Rhinovirus (HRV) and human Metapneumo Virus (HMPV) are important viral pathogens causing acute respiratory tract infections in...
BACKGROUND
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human Rhinovirus (HRV) and human Metapneumo Virus (HMPV) are important viral pathogens causing acute respiratory tract infections in the hospitalized patients. Sensitive and accurate detection of RSV, HRV and HMPV is necessary for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
RESULTS
A locked nucleic acid (LNA)-based multiplex closed one-tube nested real-time RT-PCR (mOTNRT-PCR) assay was developed for simultaneous detection of RSV, HRV and HMPV. The sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and clinical performance of mOTNRT-PCR were evaluated and compared with individual real time PCR (RT-qPCR) assay using clinical samples. The analytical sensitivity of mOTNRT-PCR assay was 5 copies/reaction for RSV, HRV and HMPV, respectively, and no cross-reaction with other common respiratory viruses was observed. The coefficients of variation (CV) of intra-assay and inter-assay were between 0.51 to 3.67%. Of 398 nasopharyngeal aspirates samples tested, 109 (27.39%), 150 (37.69%) and 44 (11.06%) were positive for RSV, HRV and HMPV, respectively, whereas 95 (23.87%), 137 (34.42%) and 38 (9.55%) were positive for RSV, HRV and HMPV, respectively, by individual RT-qPCR assay. Thirty three samples that were positive by mOTNRT-PCR but negative by RT-qPCR were confirmed as true positives by sequencing using reported traditional two-step nested PCR assay.
CONCLUSION
mOTNRT-PCR assay reveals extremely higher sensitivity than that of RT-qPCR assay for detecting RSV, HRV and HMPV in clinical settings.
Topics: Acute Disease; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Metapneumovirus; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; Nasopharynx; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Picornaviridae Infections; Reproducibility of Results; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human; Rhinovirus; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 30376870
DOI: 10.1186/s12985-018-1061-0 -
The British Journal of General Practice... Feb 2005
Topics: Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 15720926
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinics in Laboratory Medicine Mar 2010Respiratory tract infections (RTI) are the leading cause of death in low-income countries and the second leading cause of death worldwide in children less than 5 years... (Review)
Review
Respiratory tract infections (RTI) are the leading cause of death in low-income countries and the second leading cause of death worldwide in children less than 5 years old. Most RTI are viral. Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was discovered in 2001 in routine viral cultures of respiratory specimens from children with RTI and has been implicated as a common cause of RTI in children and adults and a cause of severe disease in immunocompromised hosts. This article describes the microbiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, long-term outcome, immunity and reinfection of hMPV.
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Prognosis; Respiratory Tract Infections; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Serologic Tests
PubMed: 20513544
DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2009.10.002 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns, infants, and young children. These early life infections present a formidable... (Review)
Review
Respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns, infants, and young children. These early life infections present a formidable immunologic challenge with a number of possibly conflicting goals: simultaneously eliminate the acute pathogen, preserve the primary gas-exchange function of the lung parenchyma in a developing lung, and limit long-term sequelae of both the infection and the inflammatory response. The latter has been most well studied in the context of childhood asthma, where multiple epidemiologic studies have linked early life viral infection with subsequent bronchospasm. This review will focus on the clinical relevance of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), and rhinovirus (RV) and examine the protective and pathogenic host responses within the neonate.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Immunity; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Metapneumovirus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human; Respiratory Tract Infections; Viruses
PubMed: 35493465
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.863149 -
The Journal of Infection Aug 2023Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important aetiologic agent of respiratory tract infection (RTI). This study aimed to describe the prevalence, genetic diversity, and...
BACKGROUND
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important aetiologic agent of respiratory tract infection (RTI). This study aimed to describe the prevalence, genetic diversity, and evolutionary dynamics of HMPV.
METHODS
Laboratory-confirmed HMPV were characterised based on partial-coding G gene sequences with MEGA.v6.0. WGS was performed with Illumina, and evolutionary analyses with Datamonkey and Nextstrain.
RESULTS
HMPV prevalence was 2.5%, peaking in February-April and with an alternation in the predominance of HMPV-A and -B until the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, not circulating until summer and autumn-winter 2021, with a higher prevalence and with the almost only circulation of A2c. G and SH proteins were the most variable, and 70% of F protein was under negative selection. Mutation rate of HMPV genome was 6.95 × 10 substitutions/site/year.
CONCLUSION
HMPV showed a significant morbidity until the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020, not circulating again until summer and autumn 2021, with a higher prevalence and with almost the only circulation of A2c, probably due to a more efficient immune evasion mechanism. The F protein showed a very conserved nature, supporting the need for steric shielding. The tMRCA showed a recent emergence of the A2c variants carrying duplications, supporting the importance of virological surveillance.
Topics: Humans; Infant; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Spain; Genotype; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Respiratory Tract Infections; Phylogeny
PubMed: 37178807
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.05.004 -
MBio Jun 2022Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) inclusion bodies (IBs) are dynamic structures required for efficient viral replication and transcription. The minimum components needed to...
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) inclusion bodies (IBs) are dynamic structures required for efficient viral replication and transcription. The minimum components needed to form IB-like structures in cells are the nucleoprotein (N) and the tetrameric phosphoprotein (P). HMPV P binds to the following two versions of the N protein in infected cells: N-terminal P residues interact with monomeric N (N) to maintain a pool of protein to encapsidate new RNA and C-terminal P residues interact with oligomeric, RNA-bound N (N-RNA). Recent work on other negative-strand viruses has suggested that IBs are, at least in part, liquid-like phase-separated membraneless organelles. Here, HMPV IBs in infected or transfected cells were shown to possess liquid organelle properties, such as fusion and fission. Recombinant versions of HMPV N and P proteins were purified to analyze the interactions required to drive phase separation . Purified HMPV P was shown to form liquid droplets in isolation. This observation is distinct from other viral systems that also form IBs. Partial removal of nucleic acid from purified P altered phase-separation dynamics, suggesting that nucleic acid interactions play a role in IB formation. HMPV P also recruits monomeric N (N-P) and N-RNA to droplets . These findings suggest that HMPV P may also act as a scaffold protein to mediate multivalent interactions with monomeric and oligomeric N, as well as RNA, to promote phase separation of IBs. Together, these findings highlight an additional layer of regulation in HMPV replication by the viral P and N proteins. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of respiratory disease among children, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly. Currently, no vaccines or antivirals are available for the treatment of HMPV infections. Cytoplasmic inclusion bodies (IBs), where HMPV replication and transcription occur, represent a promising target for the development of novel antivirals. The HMPV nucleoprotein (N) and phosphoprotein (P) are the minimal components needed for IB formation in eukaryotic cells. However, interactions that regulate the formation of these dynamic structures are poorly understood. Here, we showed that HMPV IBs possess the properties of liquid organelles and that purified HMPV P phase separates independently . Our work suggests that HMPV P phase-separation dynamics are altered by nucleic acid. We provide strong evidence that, unlike results reported from other viral systems, HMPV P alone can serve as a scaffold for multivalent interactions with monomeric (N) and oligomeric (N-RNA) HMPV N for IB formation.
Topics: Humans; Antiviral Agents; Metapneumovirus; Nucleic Acids; Nucleoproteins; Phosphoproteins; RNA; Virus Replication; Inclusion Bodies, Viral
PubMed: 35536005
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01099-22 -
Viruses Mar 2022Metapneumoviruses, members of the family Pneumoviridae, have been identified in birds (avian metapneumoviruses; AMPV's) and humans (human metapneumoviruses; HMPV's).... (Review)
Review
Metapneumoviruses, members of the family Pneumoviridae, have been identified in birds (avian metapneumoviruses; AMPV's) and humans (human metapneumoviruses; HMPV's). AMPV and HMPV are closely related viruses with a similar genomic organization and cause respiratory tract illnesses in birds and humans, respectively. AMPV can be classified into four subgroups, A-D, and is the etiological agent of turkey rhinotracheitis and swollen head syndrome in chickens. Epidemiological studies have indicated that AMPV also circulates in wild bird species which may act as reservoir hosts for novel subtypes. HMPV was first discovered in 2001, but retrospective studies have shown that HMPV has been circulating in humans for at least 50 years. AMPV subgroup C is more closely related to HMPV than to any other AMPV subgroup, suggesting that HMPV has evolved from AMPV-C following zoonotic transfer. In this review, we present a historical perspective on the discovery of metapneumoviruses and discuss the host tropism, pathogenicity, and molecular characteristics of the different AMPV and HMPV subgroups to provide increased focus on the necessity to better understand the evolutionary pathways through which HMPV emerged as a seasonal endemic human respiratory virus.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Humans; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Poultry Diseases; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35458407
DOI: 10.3390/v14040677 -
Viruses May 2022Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important respiratory pathogen and is divided in two main groups (A and B). HMPV strains with partial duplications (111-nt and 180-nt...
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important respiratory pathogen and is divided in two main groups (A and B). HMPV strains with partial duplications (111-nt and 180-nt duplication) of the G gene have been reported in recent years. Since the initial reports, viruses with these characteristics have been reported in several countries. We analyzed all complete HMPV G gene ectodomain sequences available at GenBank to determine if viruses with 111-nt or 180-nt duplication have become the leading HMPV strains worldwide, and to describe their temporal and geographic distribution. We identified 1462 sequences that fulfilled study criteria (764 HMPV A and 698 HMPV B) reported from 37 countries. The most frequent HMPV A genotype was A2b2 ( = 366), and the most frequent B genotype was B2 ( = 374). A total of 84 sequences contained the 111-nt duplication, and 90 sequences contained the 180-nt duplication. Since 2016, viruses with a partial duplication comprise the most frequent HMPV A sequences globally and have displaced other HMPV A viruses in Asia, Europe, and South America; no sequences of viruses with partial duplication have been reported in North America or Africa so far. Continued surveillance of HMPV is required to identify the emergence and spread of epidemiologically relevant variants.
Topics: Gene Duplication; Genotype; Humans; Metapneumovirus; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Phylogeny
PubMed: 35632799
DOI: 10.3390/v14051058