Williams John V
Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, D-7235 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2005 May;7(3):204-210. doi: 10.1007/s11908-005-0036-7.
Human metapneumovirus is a paramyxovirus that was discovered in 2001 in the Netherlands. Epidemiologic studies have shown it to be a major cause of acute respiratory tract disease in normal infants and children worldwide, with a seasonal occurrence and spectrum of clinical illness most similar to the closely related respiratory syncytial virus. The greatest prevalence of severe disease requiring hospitalization in otherwise healthy children appears to be in those aged between 6 and 12 months, older than the peak age of hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus. Human metapneumovirus is also a significant cause of acute respiratory disease in adults, particularly the elderly and those with comorbid conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and cancer. Because there is no rapid diagnostic assay, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction is most widely used. Animal models have been developed, and candidate live-attenuated vaccines are in preclinical trials, offering the potential for future interventions in high-risk groups.
人偏肺病毒是一种副粘病毒，于2001年在荷兰被发现。流行病学研究表明，它是全球正常婴幼儿急性呼吸道疾病的主要病因，其季节性发病情况和临床疾病谱与密切相关的呼吸道合胞病毒最为相似。在原本健康的儿童中，需要住院治疗的严重疾病的最高发病率似乎出现在6至12个月大的儿童中，这一年龄段高于呼吸道合胞病毒住院治疗的高峰年龄。人偏肺病毒也是成人急性呼吸道疾病的重要病因，尤其是老年人以及患有慢性阻塞性肺疾病、哮喘和癌症等合并症的人群。由于没有快速诊断检测方法，逆转录聚合酶链反应应用最为广泛。已经建立了动物模型，候选减毒活疫苗正处于临床前试验阶段，为未来对高危人群进行干预提供了可能性。
