Background/Aim: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV), a newly described RNA virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, has been discovered as an etiological agent of acute respiratory infections (ARI). The aim of this study was detection of hMPV infection in pediatric patients with ARIs and evaluation of direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test in detection of hMPV antigen in nasopharyneal aspirate (NPA) samples in comparison to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the current “gold standard.”
Methods: We examined 90 NPA samples obtained from 90 children with ARI attending the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic and Pediatric Department of Benha University Hospital for hMPV by using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and DFA test.
Results: Out of the 90 NPA samples examined, RNA sequence of hMPV were detected in 18 (20%) of NPA samples. The frequency of hMPV detection was 27.3% bronchiolitis patients, 21% in bronchitis patients, 20.5% in patients with upper respiratory tract infection, 20% in asthmatic bronchitis patients and 16.7% in patients with pneumonia. DFA test results were positive for 16 of the 18 RT-PCR- positive samples and negative for the 72 RT-PCR- negative samples in addition to 2 false negative results. The sensitivity and specificity of DFA were 88.9% and 100%, respectively.
Conclusion: It is concluded that, hMPV is a significant pathogen in children aged < five years. DFA test is a useful rapid method for detection of hMPV in NPA samples, not only for diagnostic purposes, but also to help elucidate the epidemiology of hMPV infection. Further studies are needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the implementation of this test in routine clinical virology laboratories. |
