ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Review Article | Open Access
Bader S. Alotaibi1, Mudasir Habib2, Aasim Habib3, Farkhanda Syed4, Naveed Nazir Shah5 and Bilal Ahmad Tantry3
1Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Alquwayiyah 19257, Saudi Arabia.
2Department of Surgery, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
3Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
4Department of Microbiology, Dasmesh College of Research and Dental Science, Faridkot, Punjab, India.
5Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Article Number: 10310 | © The Author(s). 2025
J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2025;19(2):755-765. https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.19.2.07
Received: 12 February 2025 | Accepted: 07 April 2025 | Published online: 24 April 2025
Issue online: June 2025
Abstract

A major cause of respiratory tract infections in infants, adults, the elderly, and people with impaired immune systems is the human metapneumovirus (HMPV). The Paramyxoviridae family was replaced by the Pneumoviridae family in 2016. The genetic groups A and B that make up this virus are further subdivided into subclasses, with A1, A2, B1, and B2 varying from year to year. Originally identified in the Netherlands in 2001, HMPV has since spread throughout the world. Droplets from infected people’s respiratory systems are the main way it is transmitted. Although HMPV infections are often mild and self-limiting, they can have a complex clinical course in immunocompromised patients and the elderly. The diagnosis is primarily relied on a nucleic acid amplification test, such as reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) which is the gold standard for modern molecular diagnosis because of its higher sensitivity and specificity. However, because it requires specialized laboratory equipment that not all healthcare facilities have, RT-PCR is not as commonly used. While promising, other diagnostic techniques including next-generation sequencing and antigen detection assays are not yet widely used in clinical settings. All of the current HMPV therapy modalities offer a limited range of choices. Preclinical tests of novel techniques to monoclonal antibody creation have showed promise, but human testing is necessary to determine their safety and efficacy. There is currently no vaccination, and the available treatment is supportive. Nonetheless, current study yields positive findings. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in treatment, adult infections, and the structural features of known antigenic sites on the HMPV proteins.

Keywords

Etiology, Treatment, Acute Respiratory Infection, Clinical Characteristics, Epidemiology, Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)

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© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, sharing, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.