Human metapneumovirus infections in Mexico: epidemiological and clinical characteristics.

The human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently described respiratory RNA virus that mainly affects children. To date there has not been a report that describes the detection of this virus in Mexico. This study was performed to detect hMPV in hospitalized Mexican children with respiratory infections, and describe their epidemiological and clinical characteristics. Nasal wash samples from 558 children younger than 3 years of age with the admission diagnosis of a respiratory tract infection were evaluated. Respiratory viruses were detected in 221 children [respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), 193 (34.6 %); influenza virus, 13 (2.3 %); parainfluenza viruses, 15 (2.7 %)]. Respiratory secretions of 323 children in whom the presence of these viruses was excluded (131 admitted during the 2002-2003 respiratory season and 192 during the 2003-2004 season) were tested for hMPV infection. The hMPV genome was detected in 34 specimens by amplification using real-time RT-PCR. Sequencing of amplicons and phylogenetic analysis indicated the predominance of genotype A hMPV. The months with the highest number of hMPV detections were February and March. During the 2002-2003 season hMPV activity peaked after the RSV season. During the 2003-2004 season hMPV and RSV epidemics occurred simultaneously. The clinical presentation of an hMPV infection was indistinguishable from other respiratory infections. Except for one death, the outcomes of the hMPV infections were good. In this study, among the viruses routinely tested for, hMPV was the second most common agent, after RSV, in children younger than 3 years of age hospitalized with respiratory tract infections.