Human metapneumovirus prevalence during 2019-2021 in Israel is influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Int J Infect Dis
; 120: 205-209, 2022 Jul.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1859790
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To compare infection rates and circulating subtypes of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) before (2019-2020) and after the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (2021) in Israel.METHODS:
In total, 12,718 respiratory samples were collected from hospitalized patients of all ages during the years 2019 to 2021 at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel and subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. In addition, whole-genome sequencing was performed to characterize the subtypes of hMPV circulating in Israel between 2019 and 2021.RESULTS:
A total of 481 samples were found positive for hMPV. Before the emergence of COVID-19, hMPV peaked in winter months and declined thereafter. In sharp contrast, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a delayed peak in hMPV infection cases and higher infection of young children. Viral sequencing showed a shift in the most prevalent circulating hMPV strain from A2b to B1 during the years 2019, 2020, and 2021.CONCLUSION:
Compared with the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, hMPV mostly affected young children, and the most prevalent circulating subtype shifted from A2b in 2019 to B1.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Respiratory Tract Infections
/
Paramyxoviridae Infections
/
Metapneumovirus
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Humans
/
Infant
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Infect Dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.ijid.2022.04.037
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