HMPV is not just another virus; it needs to be tackled carefully as it can easily target infants. Emergence of over 5 cases in India has created panic among all.
HMPV or the human metapneumovirus can spread easily, is prevalent during colder months of the year and there is no vaccine against the HMPV infection.
A 2021 study, published in The Lancet Global Health, highlights the impact of human metapneumovirus in children under 5 years in 2018.
The researchers found that in 2018, among children younger than 5 years globally, there were an estimated 14·2 million human metapneumovirus-associated acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) cases. “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,” the study cited.
“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,” the study says and emphasizes that infants younger than 6 months in low-income and lower-middle-income countries are at greater risk of death from human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI.
Similar to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza, the rate of hospital admissions for acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) associated with human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is significantly higher in infants compared to older children. Approximately 58% of hospital admissions and 71% of in-hospital deaths from hMPV-associated ALRIs in children under five occur within the first year of life. This high burden among infants is likely due to their immature immune systems and the waning of maternal antibodies during the early months of life, leaving them more vulnerable to severe infections, the researchers explain.
“The consistently high human metapneumovirus-associated ALRI hospital admission rate among infants across different settings highlights the importance of developing safe and effective maternal human metapneumovirus vaccines, particularly for infants,” the researchers have said.
Meanwhile, countries like China, Malaysia and India have reported cases of HMPV. While health agencies and government are urging people to not panic, preventive measures like cleaning hands, sanitizing frequently, staying away from infected individuals and wearing masks can save the healthy individuals during an outbreak.
