A silent viral threat to respiratory health…?

Over the last few weeks, the Human Metapneumovirus or HMPV has emerged as a significant public health issue. The flu-like viral illness escalated in China in recent months, predominantly affecting children elicits fears about its possible spread.

Cases were also documented in India and the UK during seasonal winter patterns characterised by increased respiratory infections that produce flu or cold-like symptoms. India has documented at least seven verified instances of HMPV in multiple states, including Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

The memory of Covid-19, with people confined to their homes and unable to access proper medical care, is still fresh. To avoid such a health crisis, people must be well-informed about the nature of viral epidemics and ensure their health and well-being.

Despite being discovered over 20 years ago, HMPV remains less widely recognised compared to other, more severe viruses within the same family. It mainly affects the respiratory system and can cause a wide range of illnesses, from mild cold-like symptoms to severe respiratory infections.

Anyone can get HMPV, but babies, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are most likely to get sick from it.

Because HMPV infections can look like other lung illnesses, it can be hard to make a correct diagnosis without specific lab tests. Some common signs are cough, stuffy nose, fever, swelling and shortness of breath. HMPV can cause bronchitis, pneumonia and the worsening of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in severe cases, especially in people who are already weak.

HMPV mostly gets transmitted through breathing droplets, touching a dirty surface, or being close to someone with it. The virus changes with the seasons, like RSV and flu, with higher rates of spread seen in late winter and early spring.

Researchers have found that almost everyone is introduced to the HMPV virus by the time they are five years old. Even though it is very common, it is often not correctly identified because its symptoms are like those of other respiratory pathogens, and there aren’t many routine tests to identify it available in clinical settings, unlike RT-PCR, Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) test, ELISA and viral culture.

New surveillance data shows that the number of hospitalisations due to HMPV is going up, especially among children. Up to 15 percent of respiratory illnesses during peak seasons have been linked to HMPV in some places. However, the real impact of the virus is still not fully understood because testing and reporting methods are not uniform worldwide.

HMPV has gotten much attention recently because of several localised breakouts and an apparent rise in severe cases. Public health experts say this rise is due to several things, such as increased mobility among people, lowered immunity from measures taken during the pandemic and better diagnostic tools.

One of the biggest problems with handling HMPV is that few quick and easy-to-find diagnostic tools exist. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is still the best way to find HMPV, but these tests are usually only done in research or specialised labs. Because of this, many HMPV cases are mistakenly thought to be caused by other lung viruses.

There is neither a special antiviral drug nor a vaccine for HMPV. Management is primarily supportive, aiming to ease symptoms and avoid complications. The lack of treatment options shows how urgently targeted study and drug development are required.

The lack of a vaccine for HMPV is a big gap in healthcare practitioners’ knowledge of how to stop lung viruses. However, recent progress in virology and immunology has increased interest in developing vaccines again. For this, researchers are looking into a number of different methods, such as live-attenuated vaccines, subunit vaccines and platforms based on viral vectors.

For now, public health measures are essential in stopping the virus from spreading. Using soap and water to wash hands often, avoiding close contact with people showing symptoms of respiratory illness, cleaning areas that are frequently touched to kill germs and using masks in crowded places are important preventive measures to stop the spread of HMPV.

About authors: Mrityunjay Kumar is a PhD scholar and Research Assistant in the Department of Biotechnology and Dr Kanchan Bhardwaj is Professor at the School of Engineering and Technology at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad. Dr. Mirza Sarwar Baig is Assistant Professor at Centre For Virology, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi.

This is an abridged version. Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.