People in India woke up this morning to the news and realization that 2 cases of HMPV have been found in 3-8 month old infants in Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru (detected by ICMR) and the 3rd case has been found in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. With HMPV causing widespread panic, Indrani Manna, National Postdoctoral Fellow, DST-ANRF (formerly SERB), Government of India, working at Presidency University, Kolkata, says the Union Health Ministry, Government of India, has assured strict surveillance. And assured that this will not happen. There is no unusual or increase in HMPV cases in the country and there is no reason to panic now. He has taken full cognizance of the situation and has also sought further information from WHO on the prognosis of the disease.

With the scars of COVID-19 and the subsequent two lockdowns still fresh in our minds, mass panic is understandable and needs immediate control. COVID-19 has left undeniable consequences on the lives and economy of all of us. COVID-19 has caused unprecedented disruption to our personal health and mental peace.

In a similar manner, China is once again creating an atmosphere of fear in the new year. The visuals coming from various provinces in China and now Malaysia are disturbing and could trigger a hysterical reaction among the general public. In this chaotic madness, the most important thing to understand right now is that HMPV is not a new virus. It has been present in the environment for centuries (some believe since the 1950s) and was detected by a Dutch group (US CDC) in 2001.

The virus causes upper respiratory illnesses such as runny or stuffy nose, cough, fever, rash, and sometimes shortness of breath and resolves on its own within a week and only in rare cases can pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis Or cause serious conditions like ear infections. The recent surge in China has been dubbed by Chinese officials as infections being caused by the general cold season, which also coincides with the annual flu surge during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. The most important thing to find out is whether the recent breakout is due to the new strain of HMPV. However, at the time of writing this article, neither the Chinese authorities nor the WHO have made any official statement on this.

Therefore, it is important to reduce panic and maintain your safety. In the meantime there are some pointers to keep in mind:

What is HMPV?, Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a member of the Pneumoviridae family, the primary causative agent that infects young children (under 6 years of age), the elderly and immunocompromised individuals suffering from other conditions such as diabetes, recent cancer or treatment for organ cancer. Causes respiratory problems. Transplantation, having HIV.

In general, this virus belongs to two genetic lineages, A and B, with further sublineages, A1, A2, B1 and B2. HMPV is a non-segmented negative sense, single-strand RNA virus, size: 13,300 ~ nucleotides, 8 genes coding for 9 open reading frames (ORFs) containing fusion (F) and attachment (G) glycoproteins and small hydrophobic Contains a sequence for. Proteins (SH) essential for antibody-mediated reactions. It is responsible for a peak of 5-15 percent of RTIs (respiratory tract infections) in children in the 6-12 month age group (Groen et al., 2021).

symptoms:

· Similar to the common cold and COVID, although they come from different virus families. However, flu and Covid got their vaccines.

· Cough and cold, nasal congestion, sneezing, wheezing, sore throat, skin rash, fever and sometimes trouble breathing.

The virus spreads through droplet contact mechanisms, contact with an infected person or contaminated places, door handles, railings, keys and toys.

It often spreads with other common respiratory infections like flu, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus—which causes more severe symptoms), and COVID-19. It spreads easily through open sneezing and coughing.

hMPV most commonly causes upper and lower respiratory illness in people of all ages, but children and the elderly are at greater risk. The risk is associated with people who already have lung problems. Asthma, emphysema, fibrosis or COPD where HMPV can cause severe symptoms and life support systems.

It is often diagnosed with nose and throat swab-based biochemical tests. The virus can be identified through lab-based tests like RT-PCR. In many cases, bronchoscopy and a chest X-ray may be performed if necessary.

In most cases, HMPV resolves on its own. Since this is a viral disease, no antibiotics can be prescribed directly, however, healthcare providers may consider options to control secondary opportunistic infections. Over-the-counter medications and decongestants have been used so far for body aches and fever, but it is always advisable to consult a health care provider. To date, there is no vaccine available against HMPV. Some vaccines are still in the development stage. Vaccines using recombinant chimeric viruses and virus-like particles (VLPs) are under laboratory-stage development, as reported by Chongyu et al, 2023 in Frontiers in Microbiology.

· Wearing a mask while outside is still the best option to avoid spreading and getting infected. It will also protect against harmful air pollution and other air-borne viruses.

· It is essential to maintain good oral hygiene and wash hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer.

· It is advisable to sneeze and cough with elbows closed.

· It is always advisable to avoid touching used items including used utensils and papers in public places.

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands.

· Staying hydrated and active will markedly reduce symptoms.

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