RESUMO
PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the epidemiologic and clinical features of human metapneumovirus (hMPV). METHODS: We performed real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with nasopharyngeal samples from 2,403 children who were hospitalized with acute respiratory infection. Then medical records of 120 children, who were diagnosed with hMPV respiratory infection between 2011 and 2014, were retrospectively analyzed retrospectively and compared to epidemiologic data on respiratory virus infection reported by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: We detected 120 hMPV-positive cases out of 1,723 virus-positive specimens (7.0%), which prevailed mostly in spring between March and May. Respiratory infection with hMPV was more common in female patients (55.0%) and hPMV infection was prevalent among children aged <5 years (80.8%). Coinfections with other respiratory viruses were observed in 34 patients of 120 hMPV-positive cases (28.3%), mostly with rhinovirus (52.9%). In addition, hPMV infection mostly presented with pneumonia (71.7%). Among 120 hMPV-positive patients during the recent 4 years, most (68.3%) were diagnosed in 2014. During 2011–2014, influenza virus infection was prevalent mainly from January to March, and hMPV infection started to appear just after the end of influenza virus outbreak. CONCLUSION: In Korean children, hMPV was a common causative organism of viral pneumonia during the spring season. The hMPV infection pandemic was observed in 2014 and the clinical importance of hMPV has recently been increasing. Therefore, additional studies are required to define the epidemiology, disease characteristics caused by hMPV, and the cause of recent outbreak.