Publication:

Prevalence of human metapnemovirus in children with acute respiratory tract infection Shiraz, Iran during 2014-2015

Background Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a newly discovered viral agent of respiratory infections. In present study we determined prevalence of HMPV in children less than10 years with acute respiratory infections (ARTI) that referred to the health centers of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

Methods Nasal swabs were obtained from 180 children less than 10 years old with respiratory tract symptoms during fall, winter and spring seasons of 2014 and 2015. The specimens were tested for HMPV F gene using one step RT-PCR.

Results HMPV was detected in 30 (16.66%) of 180 children with (ARTI) less than 10 years old. Approximately 63.33% of HMPV positive patients aged less than 3 years and 86.33% were younger than 5 years old. The clinical symptoms were bronchiolitis, wheezing and cough.

Conclusions The frequency distribution of HMPV revealed that most patients aged between 1 to 5 years and this virus is one of the respiratory viral agents to causes ATRI, especially children less than 5 years old.