By Dr. Manoj Sharma-

(Dr. Manoj Sharma is a Professor of the Social and Behavioral Health Department and an Adjunct Professor in Internal Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He is a global expert in health promotion and president of Health for All, Inc.)
The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) or China CDC has recently been reporting a steep increase in viral infections of the respiratory tract. This is coupled with viral videos on social media about hospitals full of sick people with masks and exhibiting respiratory illness symptoms.
This has triggered fears among people all over the world that there is going to be a similar outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, people are most afraid of the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) which is gaining notoriety. Let us examine this issue closely.
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a noteworthy respiratory disease-causing agent that primarily has severe effects on children under five years old, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly. hMPV was identified in 2001 in the Netherlands and accounts for about 5% to 15% of all respiratory infections, and in high-risk groups, as mentioned earlier, it can be associated with relentless outcomes such as pneumonia, which can prove to be fatal.
hMPV spreads mainly through direct contact with respiratory secretions from an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces. hMPV infections can present a range of clinical signs and symptoms, ranging from cough and running nose for mild upper respiratory tract infections to wheezing, difficulty in breathing (dyspnea), and low oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxemia) for severe lower respiratory tract infections.
Most infections are mild, typically lasting 2-5 days. In children, hMPV infection can be associated with bronchiolitis, or inflammation of the small airways of the lungs, and pneumonia, or inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs, which can lead to hospitalization, especially in infants under one year of age. It can also lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and can cause inflammation of the lungs and multiple organ failure.
For diagnosis these days, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a common method that is employed. It enables the detection of hMPV RNA in respiratory specimens, enabling timely diagnosis and management.
There is no specific treatment for hMPV which is why people have fears. Supportive care is the primary modality for managing hMPV infections. It includes ensuring adequate hydration, administering oxygen therapy for patients experiencing low oxygenation of the blood (hypoxemia), and providing bronchodilators or medicines that open the airways to alleviate wheezing and respiratory distress.
Antiviral medications such as favipiravir are still being experimented with for the treatment of this disease. So are immunomodulatory therapies such as Interferons, especially type I and type III being tested out.
The reason we are seeing an increase in hMPV is perhaps that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were multiple restrictions. As a result, this virus got suppressed and now we are seeing what is called “immune debt” because people have decreased immunities against this virus and hence cases are growing.
Hence, prevention is the best course of action. Actions such as handwashing, covering the face while coughing and sneezing if sick, wearing masks in crowds, sanitizing surfaces, and avoiding unnecessary trips to places with large gatherings are effective public health measures.
(Photo courtesy: IANS)