Health

Not the Next Pandemic: Experts Demystify the Human Metapneumovirus Scare

First identified in 2001, hMPV traces its roots back to the late 19th century, diverging from avian strains. It spreads through close contact and respiratory droplets, causing cough, fever, and shortness of breath, with complications in severe cases. Experts highlight its similarity to other seasonal viruses like RSV and influenza, debunking fears of a new pandemic

Kolkata: Despite being unfamiliar, but very similar to the common cold, a Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has gone viral nowadays! Common people are becoming terrified visualizing how severe it’ll be!

The Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported a sharp increase in acute respiratory viral infections, including human metapneumovirus infections in northern China during recent weeks. As people continue to live with the nightmare of COVID-19; this news has raised public concerns globally about the possibility of a virus outbreak again.

But hMPV is not a novel virus, it has been in the air for decades. As per WHO’s report, in many countries of the Northern Hemisphere, trends in acute respiratory infections increase at this time of year. These increases are typically caused by seasonal epidemics of respiratory pathogens such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common respiratory viruses, including human metapneumovirus (hMPV), as well as mycoplasma pneumonia. In China, detections of seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, RSV, and hMPV, particularly in northern provinces of China have increased as usual. WHO is in contact with Chinese health officials and has not received any reports of unusual outbreak patterns. The observed increase in respiratory pathogen detections is within the range expected for this time of year during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Like many other nations, there are very few hMPV-positive cases in India, and it hints at a virus-phobia nationwide. But experts ask not to get panicked. This virus is most active during late winter and spring in the temperate climate of the northern hemisphere, overlapping with RSV and influenza viruses. Dr Tina Mukherjee, HoD, Department of Microbiology, Scottish Church College, Kolkata, said that Human metapneumovirus is not a very new one of its kind. It’s been there for many years and has been making children fall ill for quite a long time. Children, elderly adults and immunocompromised people may be its worst victims. She also said, It’s contagious like any other pneumonia or flu-like viruses, however, the severity linked to morbidity is questionable yet.

hMPV is a negative–sense single-stranded RNA virus, while Coronavirus have positive–sense genomes. Positive–sense viral RNA sequence may be directly translated into viral protein which is needed for viral replication; but this negative–sense RNA can’t be translated into protein directly. Rather it must be transcribed into a positive–sense RNA with the help of a complementary RNA intermediate. Along with hMPV, influenza virus and RSV also have negative–sense RNA. Thus there’s a basic difference between the characteristics of hMPV and coronavirus.

This virus belongs to the kingdom of Orthornavirae, the order of Mononegavirales, a family of Pneumoviridae, and the genus of Metapneumovirus. Under this genus, there are two species, namely Metapneumovirus hominis related to humans and Metapneumovirus avis about birds. Bayesian statistics indicate that hMPV emerged between 1875 and 1889 and diverged from avian Metapneumovirus around 1800. hMPV is closely related to the avian MPV subgroup C. Avian MPV was first reported in 1970, and hMPV was in 2001 in the Netherlands by Dr Bernadette G Van den Hoogen and her colleagues while examining 28 young children’s respiratory secretions. Till now there are at least four lineages of this virus — A1, A2, B1, and B2. None of them are known to cause varying levels of severity.

Researchers have noticed that hMPV is mostly localized and can differ significantly from community to community, allowing for the possibility of the strain in one location one year to be the most similar to the strain in a different location the next year. Kayachikitsa professor of Contai’s Raghunath Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Hospital, Dr Tuhin Kanti Biswas also said, the character of hMPV can be compared with “Vata–shlaishmika Jwara” in Ayurveda. He also mentioned that the main causative factors considered behind are change of climate (KALA), geographical pattern (DESH), air (VAYU), and water(JALA).

Clinical features and severity of hMPV are similar to those of RSV and influenza virus. The incubation period of this virus is 3–6 days and the peak age of hospitalization for infants with hMPV is 6–12 months. Children, older people, pregnant women and weak people are more vulnerable to this virus. The common cold, cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath are the common symptoms. Sometimes these complications may progress to bronchitis, bronchiolitis, asthma flare-ups, and pneumonia. Since it is contagious, the virus can spread from person to person from surface to person through direct, close contact with the afflicted individual and secretions from coughing and sneezing among others.

WHO has continuous surveillance of this situation worldwide. In India, on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the health secretary along with states and UTs reviewed the present situation of respiratory illnesses and the status of hMPV cases following media reports. The Union Health Ministry emphasised that there is no cause of concern for the public from hMPV which has been present globally since 2001. Regarding the management of this issue, Dr Nivedita Das, Specialist Grade I Microbiology, Government of India said that they’re following the government-issued directives. Maintaining a safe distance in public places, washing hands, cleaning surfaces, keeping the body clean and clear, and staying home when sick, are the primary precautions to keep us healthy. Though there’s no proper medication, only symptomatic treatment available, management of this situation is crucial, said sister-tutor Dipanwita Patra Biswas of Kalyani JNM Hospital Nursing Training School.

Tuhin Sajjad SK

is a science graduate with honours in mathematics. Tuhin is a passionate Science Communicator. He writes poetry, flash fiction, docu-drama and features to communicate sci-tech.

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