Clinical impact and diagnosis of human metapneumovirus infection

Worldwide, hMPV infections account for at least 5 to 7% of the RTI in hospitalized children, but immunocompromised and elderly individuals are also at risk. In the general community hMPV infections account for at least 3% of patients who visit a general practitioner for RTI. The seasonality of hMPV infections resembles that for respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus infections, with recurrent epidemics during the winter months. Clinical symptoms and laboratory findings associated with hMPV infection exhibit a spectrum virtually indistinguishable from those associated with respiratory syncytial virus disease. The development of diagnostic assays must take into account the existence of two hMPV serotypes.