Publications of Faculty of Medicine:HUMAN METAPNEUMOVIRUS: A PARAMYXOVIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN: Abstract

Title:
HUMAN METAPNEUMOVIRUS: A PARAMYXOVIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN
Full paper Not Available
Abstract:

Human metapneumovirus virus (hMPV) has recently been identified as an etiological agent of acute respiratory tract infections (ART') in infants and children .The hMPV fusion protein (F) protein has been indicated to be a major antigenic determinant that mediates effective neutralization and protection against hMPV infection. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of hMPV as a causative agent of ARTI in children. Patients and Methods: 98 nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) specimens from 49 infants and children less than 5 years old affected by ARTI were analyzed for the presence of hMPV by direct immunofluorescence antibody (DIU) test and cell culture. Results: 11 (22.4%) out of 49 children were positive for hMPV as detected by D.FA and 3(6.1%) out of 49 children were hMPV positive as detected by cell culture. The mean age of hMPV infected children was 14.6 months (range from 2 to 36 months). The most common symptoms were coryza (80%), cough (63%),