What you need to know about this virus

In recent days, there have been reports that another infectious disease is rapidly spreading in China. The virus in question is human metapneumovirus, abbreviated as HMPV.

there was claim in some media this is Rapid increase in infected people teeth Overwhelming hospitals in China . However, the current wave of infection spread has not yet ended. normal at this timeaccording to the World Health Organization.

So what's the real situation? What exactly is HMPV? HMPV is a respiratory virus in the same family as the more commonly known respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This is not a new infectious disease and has probably been prevalent among humans for centuries.

The link between this virus and human disease was first noted about 25 years ago. Dutch researcher Researchers who identified a virus in children who contracted an illness similar to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) found that in this same study, archival samples from the 1950s revealed that all children in the study developed HMPV by their fifth birthday. They were shown to have antibodies against the virus, indicating that the virus is not new. other According to research, HMPV diverged from avian MPV approximately 300 years ago.

Like all viruses, HMPV evolves over time. But it is The rate of evolution is relatively slow compared to other viruses.

HMPV is a common respiratory virus. Even after childhood, people can have multiple infections throughout their lives.

The disease occurs all over the world, with most infections occurring during the winter months. This virus causes an illness that is very difficult to distinguish from many other respiratory infections without testing.

Most infections are a mild cold-like illness that resolves within about 2 to 5 days. However, in young children, the disease can be more severe and have symptoms similar to RSV chest infections. HMPV in children usually does not cause symptoms such as: like a serious illness It is less likely to be transmitted as respiratory syncytial virus and require admission to an intensive care unit.

In older adults (age 65 and older) and people with certain health conditions, HMPV can cause the following symptoms: more serious illness. This is especially true for people with heart or lung diseases, including asthma.

There is no specific treatment for HMPV. Instead, patients can stay comfortable until they recover on their own. When people become seriously ill, treatment consists of supporting normal breathing.

There is no vaccine against HMPV. However, there are several vaccines available; Process of development. a Combined HMPV and RSV mRNA vaccine I recently started a trial.

What is the current situation?

In the UK, HMPV-positive samples increased significantly in the weeks before Christmas; 4.5% of samples tested Last week. The latest data from the first week of January suggests that the number of infections may already be rising. The peak has been reached and the percentage of positive samples remains around 4.5%.

During the same week, 21.9% of people tested positive for influenza, down from 27.7% the previous week. HMPV results for the same week Last year and the year before Almost the same. So, at least in the UK, levels of HMPV infection appear to be about the same as we would expect at this time of year.

We need to wait until January to see if HMPV infections start to decline. The situation in the UK is reflected in the USThat said, U.S. interest rates are still well below last winter's peak.

There are actual reports of HMPV infection in China. Rise in recent weeks In more northern regions. But so are reports for all other respiratory pathogens, including seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, and RSV.

In China, as in Western countries, influenza remains the most commonly detected respiratory virus. In its latest report, the World Health Organization says that the current increase in respiratory pathogens in China is “It's within the expected range for this time of year.”. Given China's strained medical services, influenza is far more likely to be the main concern.

Therefore, I think we can say with considerable confidence that the global risk to public health from HMPV will not increase significantly.

The HMPV situation is very different from the coronavirus situation in early 2020. Unlike the coronavirus, HMPV is not a new infection, and most people already have sufficient immunity to many previous infections.

Additionally, the “F protein” (one of the main targets on the surface of HMPV, which antibodies capture to neutralize HMPV) has been stable for decades, and new variants can arise. It is suggested that the sex is low.

However, we should never be complacent about any infectious disease, so we must continue to monitor what is happening in China and change our risk assessments as necessary.