Bengaluru: India reported Monday seven cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in children — two each in Bengaluru, Nagpur and Tamil Nadu, and one in Ahmedabad — causing concern amid a surge in respiratory illnesses in China. However, Union health minister JP Nadda assured that the situation does not indicate the onset of another outbreak similar to Covid.
“HMPV is not a new virus. It was first identified in 2001, and it has been circulating in the entire world for many years,” Nadda said.
The cases in the city involve a 3-month-old and an 8-month-old who tested positive for the virus while being treated at Bangalore Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru for fever and subsequently developed bronchopneumonia.
Allaying fears of the public, health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated, “HMPV has existed for a long time and typically causes common symptoms like cold, flu, and cough. Referring to any recent case as the ‘first’ is misleading. I don’t think we should be pressing the panic button.”
He emphasised that children and the elderly, are particularly susceptible to the virus, and clarified that the recent cases in India are likely caused by a local strain and unrelated to the outbreak in China.
The three-month-old infant from Kalyan Nagar was admitted to Baptist Hospital in Dec with fever and cold. Tests conducted during treatment revealed the presence of HMPV. The infant has since recovered and been discharged.
The second case, detected on Jan 3, 2024, involves an 8-month-old boy admitted to the hospital for treatment of fever after an injury. He tested positive for both HMPV and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Health officials confirmed that he is currently recovering and will be discharged soon.
BBMP health commissioner Suralkar Vikas Kishore told TOI, “One of the hospitals in the city detected the case, following which our health officials inspected the hospital and provided necessary support. Based on the state govt’s advisory, we have issued guidelines to different BBMP jurisdictions. This is not a new infection, and similar cases have been recorded in the past. The likelihood of this variant being significantly different is very low.”
He added that all hospitals in the city have been asked to be vigilant. “If an infection persists and appears different from regular viral infections, we will conduct tests for HMPV,” he added.
A senior health official highlighted that HMPV can be fatal in vulnerable populations, particularly children under five, the elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals. “Approximately 10% of adult patients admitted with pneumonia test positive for HMPV, and 4-6% of viral illnesses in children are caused by this virus,” the official noted.
ICMR reiterated that HMPV is not new and is already circulating worldwide, including in India. Respiratory illnesses linked to HMPV have been reported in various countries. Current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) confirm there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases across the country.
What is HMPV?
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a single-strand, negative-sense, enveloped RNA virus belonging to the family pneumoviridae. First identified in the Netherlands in 2001, it has since been detected globally. Clinical symptoms range from mild upper respiratory tract infections to more severe conditions like bronchiolitis and pneumonia. In India, the prevalence of HMPV varies between 1% and 19% across different regions. It is one of the common respiratory pathogens causing illnesses similar to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
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Currently, all indications suggest that the ongoing outbreak is not more severe than what we experienced in 2020. However, heightened awareness post-Covid has led to suspicion whenever a report, particularly from China, emerges. While we should avoid panic, vigilance is necessary to prevent a ‘cry wolf’ scenario.
L S Shashidhar, director, National Centre for Biological Sciences