In recent days, the headlines about metapneumovirus (HMPV) have multiplied after it became clear thatAn outbreak of respiratory infections has been detected in northern China —influenza was the most common, but this HMPV, covid and respiratory syncytial virus were also present—.
After what they experienced during the pandemic, some people, especially those unfamiliar with the term, were scared, but The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report on calm. The organization clarified that after analyzing the information from the Chinese authorities, there is no cause for concern.
“The levels of respiratory infections reported in China are within the usual range for the winter season and authorities have reported that hospital utilization is currently lower than last year and have received no statements or responses,” spokeswoman Margaret Harris said.
There have also been some unsubstantiated claims that this is a new virus. “Human metapneumovirus is a known virus. It’s not something new that’s emerging now and it’s particularly aggressive, no,” he explains. El HuffPost Raúl Rivas, professor of microbiology at the University of Salamanca and popularizer.
“Human metapneumovirus is a known virus. It’s nothing new that’s emerging now and it’s particularly aggressive, no.”
“It’s a virus that was described in isolation in 2001 in the Netherlands, but genetic data suggests it’s been circulating in humans since at least the mid-20th century. In fact, most of us have probably been infected at least once.” maybe because of this virus, although we don’t know it, because it is a common virus that seasonally circulates normally in the northern hemisphere, where China is and where we are,” he points out.
As Rivas, author of books such as A history of microbes O Superorganismsusually the highest peaks occur from January to March. “It’s not unusual. It’s within the bounds of what could be expected in a season like this” he emphasizes.
According to the microbiologist, it usually occurs with mild or asymptomatic symptoms, but “milder to severe symptoms” can occur depending on the type of infection: “This virus causes respiratory infections of the upper and lower respiratory tracts, which tend to be more problematic. This is of particular concern in young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or those with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease.
“Most of us have probably been infected with this virus at least once, even if we don’t know it because it’s a common virus that circulates seasonally.”
Rivas emphasizes that this virus “is detected in 3 to 10% of hospitalizations of children under the age of 5 when it comes to acute lower respiratory tract infections, but it is preceded by the respiratory syncytial virus, as he emphasizes, RSV is “mainly responsible for lower respiratory tract infections in infants in young children.”
Should we be afraid of a rush here? “There is metapnemovirus in Spain. We have human metapnemovirus every season“With the decline in RSV cases, more metapneumovirus cases may have been detected that previously went more unnoticed because of the focus on RSV.” So maybe now it will increase the detection of cases a little,” he explains.
“There’s not a particularly extraordinary peak that hasn’t happened in other years. Last year, it more or less returned to normal after the years we had post-pandemic numbers of reported cases,” says Rivas. .
As with other respiratory viruses prevention is keywith measures such as frequent hand washing, avoiding contact with sick people, working remotely if possible when sick, covering coughs or sneezes and using disposable tissues.
