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Medicine (Madr) 2022 May 12;13(55):3224-3234. Epub 2022 May 12.

Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias. Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares. Madrid. España.

Viruses are becoming more and more important as etiological agents of pneumonia, mainly due to improvements in diagnostic techniques. At present, they account for approximately one-third of community-acquired pneumonia cases. They tend to occur in children and elderly patients, causing anything from mild cases to severe cases which require intubation and intensive care. Read More

North Clin Istanb 2022 14;9(2):162-172. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Department of Pediatrics, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in children. Viral pathogens are responsible for 50-70% of LRTIs. The real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction (RT-MPCR) tests allow the simultaneous detection of several different viruses along with some bacterial pathogens and give faster and more reliable results than viral culture. Read More

Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2022 May 14:103920. Epub 2022 May 14.

Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Research Laboratory of the Respiratory System Diseases, 1st Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350004, China. Electronic address:

Trypsin is a protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) activator that upregulates the interleukin (IL)-17 receptor signal in the airway epithelial cells and amplifies the inflammatory response, but does not modify the growth kinetics of the metapneumovirus. How does the coronavirus spread from cell to cell is yet an enigma. The present study analyzed the possible role of trypsin in the activation of coronavirus in vitro and in vivo. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 29;9:866494. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Background: The clinical features and outcomes of viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in adults have not been thoroughly studied, especially the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden. It has become apparent that outbreaks of RSV in the elderly are associated with increased hospitalization rates. However, little data exists on the severity of such viral RTIs in adults, particularly the need for hospitalization, respiratory support and intensive care. Read More

Open Forum Infect Dis 2021 Nov 5;8(11):ofab491. Epub 2021 Oct 5.

Janssen Infectious Diseases, Beerse, Belgium.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and influenza are respiratory pathogens leading to hospitalization in adults. Our understanding of the disease burden is limited to data from single-center or 1-season studies in elderly patients. The HARTI study allows comparison of risk factors for progression to severe disease and medical resources utilization (MRU) during and post-hospitalization in adults diagnosed with influenza, RSV, or hMPV. Read More

Nat Commun 2022 May 10;13(1):2546. Epub 2022 May 10.

Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) belongs to the Pneumoviridae family and is closely related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The surface fusion (F) glycoprotein mediates viral fusion and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies against hMPV. Here we report 113 hMPV-F specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated from memory B cells of human donors. Read More

mBio 2022 May 10:e0109922. Epub 2022 May 10.

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentuckygrid.266539.d, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) inclusion bodies (IBs) are dynamic structures required for efficient viral replication and transcription. The minimum components needed to form IB-like structures in cells are the nucleoprotein (N) and the tetrameric phosphoprotein (P). HMPV P binds to the following two versions of the N protein in infected cells: N-terminal P residues interact with monomeric N (N) to maintain a pool of protein to encapsidate new RNA and C-terminal P residues interact with oligomeric, RNA-bound N (N-RNA). Read More

Radiol Clin North Am 2022 May;60(3):383-397

Department of Radiology, MSC 10 5530, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.

Viral pneumonia is usually community acquired and caused by influenza, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, and adenovirus. Many of these infections are airway centric and chest imaging demonstrates bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia, With the exception of adenovirus infections, the presence of lobar consolidation usually suggests bacterial coinfection. Community-acquired viral pathogens can cause more severe pneumonia in immunocompromised hosts, who are also susceptible to CMV and varicella infection. Read More

Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2022 May 30;77:103676. Epub 2022 Apr 30.

Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sekip, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia.

Background: Growing evidence shows that viral co-infection is found repeatedly in patients with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). This is the first report of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with viral respiratory pathogens in Indonesia.

Methods: Over a one month period of April to May 2020, SARS-CoV-2 positive nasopharyngeal swabs in our COVID-19 referral laboratory in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were tested for viral respiratory pathogens by real-time, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Read More

Front Immunol 2022 14;13:863149. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns, infants, and young children. These early life infections present a formidable immunologic challenge with a number of possibly conflicting goals: simultaneously eliminate the acute pathogen, preserve the primary gas-exchange function of the lung parenchyma in a developing lung, and limit long-term sequelae of both the infection and the inflammatory response. The latter has been most well studied in the context of childhood asthma, where multiple epidemiologic studies have linked early life viral infection with subsequent bronchospasm. Read More

Jpn J Infect Dis 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Health Science, Gunma Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, Japan.

Respiratory infections are common diseases, the most common causative agent is a virus. In case of novel viral diseases pandemic like the COVID-19, routinely surveillance of respiratory viruses is useful. In this study, to clarify what kind of virus is involved in suspected cases of COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic, we attempted to detect various respiratory viruses from 613 specimens that tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 using RT- PCR method. Read More

J Pediatr (Rio J) 2022 Apr 19. Epub 2022 Apr 19.

Social Responsibility, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Escola de Medicina, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: Changes in the epidemiology of respiratory infections during the restrictions imposed as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported elsewhere. The present study's aim was to describe the prevalence of a large array of respiratory pathogens in symptomatic children and adolescents during the pandemic in Southern Brazil.

Methods: Hospitalized and outpatients aged 2 months to 18 years with signs and symptoms of acute COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled in the study from May to November 2020 in two hospitals in a large metropolitan area in a Brazilian city. Read More

Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2022 Apr 11;21(2):112-118. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

Departments of Pediatrics, Balıkesir University Faculty of Medicine, Balıkesir, Turkey.

Acute asthma exacerbations (AAE) are episodes characterized by potentially life-threatening and rapidly deteriorating asthma symptoms. Viral respiratory infections are one of the major triggers in the pathophysiology of childhood asthma exacerbations. In this study, we aimed to determine the distribution of viral agents among pediatric AAE patients. Read More

Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Pediatrics, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.

The impact of strengthening preventive measures against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on the prevalence of respiratory viruses in children was examined. After the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the rate of multiple virus detection among hospitalized children decreased. Immediately after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, respiratory syncytial and parainfluenza viruses were rarely detected and subsequently reemerged. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2022 Apr 25;120:205-209. Epub 2022 Apr 25.

Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel; Central Virology Laboratory, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health and Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. Electronic address:

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. Read More

Viruses 2022 Apr 12;14(4). Epub 2022 Apr 12.

Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

Influenza-like illness (ILI) can be caused by a range of respiratory viruses. The present study investigates the contribution of influenza and other respiratory viruses, the occurrence of viral co-infections, and the persistence of the viruses after ILI onset in older adults. During the influenza season 2014-2015, 2366 generally healthy community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years) were enrolled in the study. Read More

Viruses 2022 Mar 25;14(4). Epub 2022 Mar 25.

Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany.

Metapneumoviruses, members of the family Pneumoviridae, have been identified in birds (avian metapneumoviruses; AMPV's) and humans (human metapneumoviruses; HMPV's). AMPV and HMPV are closely related viruses with a similar genomic organization and cause respiratory tract illnesses in birds and humans, respectively. AMPV can be classified into four subgroups, A-D, and is the etiological agent of turkey rhinotracheitis and swollen head syndrome in chickens. Read More

Pathogens 2022 Apr 15;11(4). Epub 2022 Apr 15.

Department of Biomedical Research, National Medicines Institute, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland.

One of the tools to contain the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was to increase the number of performed tests and to improve the access to diagnostics. To this effect, mobile collection sites (MCSs) were established. This study was performed on samples collected at the MCS between November 2020 and March 2021. Read More

Blood Adv 2022 Apr 21. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

University of Washington, United States.

Pretransplant respiratory virus infections (RVIs) have been shown to negatively impact hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) outcomes. The impact of and need for delay of HCT for pretransplant infection with human rhinovirus (HRV) or endemic human coronavirus (HCoV) (229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1) remains controversial. We analyzed the impact of symptomatic RVI within <90 days prior to HCT on overall mortality, posttransplant lower respiratory tract disease (LRD), and days alive and out of hospital (DAOH) by day 100 post HCT in multivariable models. Read More

Bull Natl Res Cent 2022 13;46(1):103. Epub 2022 Apr 13.

Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Background: Viral pneumonias are a major cause of childhood mortality. Proper management needs early and accurate diagnosis. This study objective is to investigate the viral etiologies of pneumonia in children. Read More

Front Pediatr 2022 29;10:840008. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.

Background: In children and adults with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI), elevations of serum liver enzyme activities are frequently observed in clinical practice. However, epidemiological data particularly in the pediatric population are very limited. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of hepatic involvement, to identify the viruses and to analyze risk factors in children and adolescents with ARTI in a real-world setting. Read More

Front Microbiol 2022 24;13:804700. Epub 2022 Mar 24.

Emergency Department, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo," Trieste, Italy.

The social distancing measures adopted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a profound change in the behavioral habits of the population. This study analyzes the impact of restriction measures on the shaping of the epidemiology of common winter respiratory pathogens in the pediatric population of northeast of Italy. From August 2020 to March 2021, a total of 1,227 nasopharyngeal swabs from symptomatic pediatric patients were tested for the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A and B, adenovirus, other coronaviruses, parainfluenza virus 1-4, enterovirus, bocavirus, metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, , , and . Read More

Pediatr Int 2022 01;64(1):e15125

Division of Cardiology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2022 Apr 7. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Transplacental hMPV-neutralizing antibody transfer was reduced from mothers living with HIV-1. However, a comparison of antibody titers at birth between hMPV hospitalization cases at <6 months and matched controls suggested that reduced maternal antibody might not be the primary cause of the previously reported elevated hMPV risk in HIV-1-exposed infants. Read More

Vet World 2022 Jan 8;15(1):16-21. Epub 2022 Jan 8.

Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Medical Technology, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq.

Background And Aim: Swollen head syndrome (SHS) is a complex disease caused by various agents, including bacterial and viral pathogens, as well as environmental factors. (aMPV) is one of the most important causes of respiratory diseases and SHS in poultry and one of the most widespread viruses worldwide; however, it has not been recorded in Iraq. This study aimed at the molecular identification and subtyping of aMPV in poultry, with the objectives of investigating the prevalence of aMPV in infected broiler flocks with SHS and molecular typing using primers specific to the study of the prevalence of subtypes A, B, and C of aMPV. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2022 03 31;22(1):166. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital Campus, London, W2 1PG, UK.

Background: Respiratory virus infection is common in early childhood, and children may be symptomatic or symptom-free. Little is known regarding the association between symptomatic/asymptomatic infection and particular clinical factors such as breastfeeding as well as the consequences of such infection.

Method: We followed an unselected cohort of term neonates to two years of age (220 infants at recruitment, 159 who remained in the study to 24 months), taking oral swabs at birth and oropharyngeal swabs at intervals subsequently (at 1. Read More

J Virol Methods 2022 Jun 28;304:114528. Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Department of Microbiology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.

Quantifying proliferative virus particles is one of the most important experimental procedures in virology. Compared with classical overlay materials, newly developed cellulose derivatives enable a plaque-forming assay to produce countable clear plaques easily. HEp-2 cells are widely used in plaque assays for human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Read More

Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022 Mar 20;15(3). Epub 2022 Mar 20.

The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.

Controlling the infectivity of respiratory RNA viruses is critical, especially during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. There is an unmet need for therapeutic agents that can reduce viral replication, preferably independent of the accumulation of viral mutations. Zinc ions have an apparent activity as modulators of intracellular viral RNA replication and thus, appear attractive in reducing viral RNA load and infectivity. Read More

J Infect Dis 2022 Mar 22. Epub 2022 Mar 22.

Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California, United States.

Background: Interactions of Streptococcus pneumoniae with viruses feature in the pathogenesis of numerous respiratory illnesses.

Methods: We undertook a case-control study among adults at Kaiser Permanente Southern California between 2015-2019. Cases were diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI; including pneumonia or non-pneumonia LRTI diagnoses) with viral infections detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction testing. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022 04;41(4):284-289

Division of Infectious Diseases CHOC Children's Hospital, Santa Ana, CA.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza infections are a major cause of hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission to children's hospitals and are closely tracked. We compared data over 6 seasons of human metapneumovirus (hMPV), RSV and influenza infections.

Methods: During the 2014-2019 winter viral seasons, hMPV, RSV and influenza infections were tracked. Read More