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Haematologica 2019 Apr 19. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

Respiratory tract infections due to community-acquired respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza, parainfluenza virus 3 and human metapneumovirus are detected in up to 40% of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients in whom they cause severe symptoms including pneumonia and bronchiolitis and can be fatal. Given the lack of effective antivirals and the data from our group demonstrating that adoptively transferred ex vivo-expanded virus-specific T cells can be clinically beneficial for the treatment of both latent (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, BK virus, human herpesvirus 6) and lytic (adenovirus) viruses, we investigated the potential for extending this immunotherapeutic approach to respiratory viruses. We now describe a system that rapidly generates a single preparation of polyclonal (CD4+ and CD8+) virus-specific T cells reactive against 12 antigens derived from 4 viruses (respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza, parainfluenza virus 3 and human metapneumovirus) that commonly cause post-transplant morbidity and mortality. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Infection Biology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire CH64 7TE, United Kingdom.

Since late '80 s Avian metapneumovirus subtype A causes sufficient disease in Europe for commercial companies to have started developing live attenuated vaccines. Here, two of those vaccines were fully consensus sequenced alongside their progenitor field strain (#8544). Sequences comparison shows that the attenuation of field strain #8544 was associated with no common substitutions between the two derived vaccines. Read More

Microbiol Resour Announc 2019 Apr 18;8(16). Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA

Here, we report the coding-complete genome sequence of an avian metapneumovirus from a monk parakeet (), identified by metagenomic next-generation sequencing during an investigation into a disease outbreak in a captive parrot breeding facility. Based on divergence from known strains, this sequence represents a new subgroup of avian metapneumovirus. Read More

PeerJ 2019 11;7:e6748. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Children and adults residing in densely populated urban centers around the world are at risk of seasonal influenza-like illness caused by respiratory viruses such as influenza virus, human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In a large metropolitan of Thailand's capital city Bangkok, most respiratory infections are rarely confirmed by molecular diagnostics. We therefore examined the frequency of RSV, hMPV, and influenza virus in 8,842 patients who presented influenza-like illness and sought medical care at a large hospital in Bangkok between 2016 and 2017. Read More

A A Pract 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

In severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, data are lacking on methods to measure and set optimal positive end-expiratory pressure. We present a 2-year-old girl with Trisomy 21 who developed severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and refractory hypoxemia from human metapneumovirus pneumonia. Esophageal manometry was utilized to measure transpulmonary pressure, and positive end-expiratory pressure was increased to 19 cm H2O, resulting in rapid improvement in oxygenation. Read More

Multidiscip Respir Med 2019 1;14:11. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansura University, Mansura, Egypt.

Background: Respiratory viral and atypical bacterial infections data in Egyptian patients are sparse. This study describes the clinical features and outcomes of patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in hospitalized patients in Egypt.

Methods: SARI surveillance was implemented at Cairo University Hospital (CUH) during the period 2010-2014. Read More

Future Virol 2018 Apr 21;13(4):233-235. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.

PLoS Pathog 2019 Apr 9;15(4):e1007689. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Infectious Disease Research Centre, Department of microbiology-Immunology, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation triggers caspase-1 activation-induced maturation of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 and therefore is important for the development of the host defense against various RNA viral diseases. However, the implication of this protein complex in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) disease has not been fully studied. Herein, we report that NLRP3 inflammasome plays a detrimental role during HMPV infection because NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition protected mice from mortality and reduced weight loss and inflammation without impacting viral replication. Read More

Virology 2019 Mar 7;531:248-254. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States. Electronic address:

The human metapneumovirus (HMPV) fusion protein (F) mediates fusion of the viral envelope and cellular membranes to establish infection. HMPV F from some, but not all, viral strains promotes fusion only after exposure to low pH. Previous studies have identified several key residues involved in low pH triggering, including H435 and a proposed requirement for glycine at position 294. Read More

Infect Dis Clin North Am 2019 Jun 30;33(2):523-544. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Mail Code L457, Portland, OR 97239, USA.

Respiratory virus infections in hematologic stem cell transplant recipients and patients with hematologic malignancies are increasingly recognized as a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. The often overlapping clinical presentation makes molecular diagnostic strategies imperative for rapid diagnosis and to inform understanding of the changing epidemiology of each of the respiratory viruses. Most respiratory virus infections are managed with supportive therapy, although there is effective antiviral therapy for influenza. Read More

Acta Neurol Belg 2019 Mar 30. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Department of Emergency medicine, AZ St Dimpna, Geel, Belgium.

Virology 2019 Mar 22;531:183-191. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Dept. of Microbiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. Electronic address:

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants, elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Ingenuity pathway analysis of microarrays data showed that 20% of genes affected by hMPV infection of airway epithelial cells (AECs) were related to metabolism. We found that levels of the glycolytic pathway enzymes hexokinase 2, pyruvate kinase M2, and lactate dehydrogenase A were significantly upregulated in normal human AECs upon hMPV infection, as well as levels of enzymes belonging to the hexosamine biosynthetic and glycosylation pathways. Read More

PLoS One 2019 28;14(3):e0214646. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a widely distributed pathogen responsible for acute upper and lower respiratory infections of varying severity. Previously, we reported that N-sulfonated derivatives of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (NSPAHs) efficiently inhibit replication of the influenza virus in vitro and ex vivo. Here, we show a dose dependent inhibition of hMPV infection by NSPAHs in LLC-MK2 cells. Read More

Intervirology 2019 Mar 27:1-6. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá,

The human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important viral agent associated with severe infections of the upper and lower airways, especially in young children and immunosuppressed subjects. Nevertheless, in vitro studies of hMPV are very difficult due to the little knowledge we have on its laboratory manipulation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate and propagate hMPV from patients, and to establish a method to quantify the virus by plaque assay. Read More

J Virol Methods 2019 Mar 22;269:1-6. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address:

Background: The role of respiratory viruses as the major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) in children is becoming increasingly evident due to the use of sensitive molecular detection methods. The aim of this study was to use conventional and molecular detection methods to assess the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections in children less than five years of age that were hospitalized with ALRTIs.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the occurrence of respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytisl virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), influenza virus A and B (IFV-A and B), parainfluenzavirus 1, 2, 3 and 4 (PIV 1, 2, 3 and 4), human rhinoviruses (HRV), human enterovirus (HEV), human coronaviruses (HCoV) 229E and OC43, human bocavirus (HBoV) and human adenovirus (HAdV) in hospitalized children with ALRTIs, at Hospital Serdang, Malaysia, from June 16 to December 21, 2009. Read More

J Med Virol 2019 Mar 22. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Background: The data on the seasonality of respiratory viruses helps to ensure the optimal vaccination period and to monitor the possible outbreaks of variant type.

Objectives: This study was designed to describe the molecular epidemiology and seasonality of acute respiratory infection (ARI)-related respiratory viruses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods: Both upper and lower respiratory specimens were collected for the analysis from all the patients who visited the Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital (SKSH) with ARI for over 2 years. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2019 Apr;38(4):344-350

Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.

Background: The contribution of respiratory viruses to childhood pneumonia in tropical low- and middle-income countries is poorly understood. We used population-based respiratory illness surveillance in children 5 years of age or younger in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to characterize these illnesses.

Methods: We conducted weekly home visits to children who were referred to clinic for fever or respiratory symptoms. Read More

Emerg Microbes Infect 2019 ;8(1):139-149

e University of Wisconsin-Madison , Madison , WI , USA.

Respiratory viruses of human origin infect wild apes across Africa, sometimes lethally. Here we report simultaneous outbreaks of two distinct human respiratory viruses, human metapneumovirus (MPV; Pneumoviridae: Metapneumovirus) and human respirovirus 3 (HRV3; Paramyxoviridae; Respirovirus, formerly known as parainfluenza virus 3), in two chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) communities in the same forest in Uganda in December 2016 and January 2017. The viruses were absent before the outbreaks, but each was present in ill chimpanzees from one community during the outbreak period. Read More

J Infect Dis 2019 Mar 8. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) constitute a substantial disease burden in adults and elderly individuals. We aimed to identify all case-control studies investigating the potential role of respiratory viruses in the etiology of ARI in older adults aged ≥65 years. We conducted a systematic literature review (across 7 databases) of case-control studies published from 1996 to 2017 that investigated the viral profile of older adults with and those without ARI. Read More

Virus Res 2019 May 5;265:68-73. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA. Electronic address:

Pneumoviruses represent a major public health burden across the world. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), two of the most recognizable pediatric infectious agents, belong to this family. These viruses are enveloped with a non-segmented negative-sense RNA genome, and their replication occurs in specialized cytosolic organelles named inclusion bodies (IB). Read More

PLoS One 2019 6;14(3):e0210102. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea.

Pneumonia severity index (PSI) is an important scoring system that can assess the severity of community acquired pneumonia and determine admission status. However, there is a lack of research on whether this scoring system can be applied to viral community acquired pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of PSI in viral community acquired pneumonia. Read More

Clin Transplant 2019 Feb 28:e13511. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.

These updated guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Community of Practice of the American Society of Transplantation review the diagnosis, prevention, and management of RNA respiratory viral infections in the pre- and post-transplant period. Viruses reviewed include influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza, rhinovirus, human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and coronavirus. Diagnosis is by nucleic acid testing due to improved sensitivity, specificity, broad range of detection of viral pathogens, automatization, and turnaround time. Read More

Jpn J Infect Dis 2019 Feb 28. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are the leading causes of acute respiratory tract infection in children, and clinical manifestations of these virus infections are considered similar. To investigate the differences in clinical characteristics between HMPV and RSV infections in young children, we prospectively enrolled children <3 years old who required hospitalization with acute respiratory tract infection by HMPV or RSV at 10 hospitals in Japan. We enrolled 48 with HMPV infection and 141 children with RSV infection. Read More

J Med Virol 2019 Feb 22. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Department of Clinical Microbiology, Dr Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

Aims: To investigate the viral etiology of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in hospitalized adults and elderly patients in Croatia, compare the prevalence of detected viruses, and to determine clinical characteristics and seasonal occurrence of investigated infections.

Methods: From January 2016 to June 2018, a total of 182 adult patients presented with symptoms of ARI and admitted to the hospital were tested for 15 respiratory viruses by multiplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Clinical data were collected by retrospective analysis of the patient's chart. Read More

Bull Soc Pathol Exot 2018 ;111(2):90-98

Laboratoire de microbiologie, faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, Tunisie.

Little is known about viral and atypical bacteria pathogen spectra of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infection in children in Tunisia. Thus, a prospective study was carried out between January 2009 and March 2010 in Sfax. Nasopharyngeal aspirates collected from 368 patients (78 with pneumonia and 290 with acute bronchiolitis) were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay and PCR to detect influenza viruses, parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus, human rhinovirus, human enterovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus, (Mpn) and (Cpn). Read More

PLoS One 2019 19;14(2):e0211079. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Central Virology Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.

Respiratory viral infections constitute the majority of samples tested in the clinical virology laboratory during the winter season, and are mainly diagnosed using molecular assays, namely real-time PCR (qPCR). Therefore, a high-quality extraction process is critical for successful, reliable and sensitive qPCR results. Here we aimed to evaluate the performance of the newly launched eMAG compared to the fully automated MagNA PURE 96 (Roche, Germany) and to the semi-automated easyMAG (bioMerieux, France) extraction platforms. Read More

Avian Pathol 2019 Feb 19:1-8. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

a VIPAC Unit (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety), Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory , Ploufragan, France.

To date, four subgroups of avian metapneumoviruses have been defined (AMPV-A, B, C and D) based on genetic and antigenic differences. The extent of infection in the three principal species (turkeys, chickens and ducks) by these subgroups is, however, not well defined. Here, a series of controlled and ethically approved experimental infections were performed in specific pathogen-free turkeys, chickens and ducks with each of the four AMPV subgroups. Read More

Clin Lab 2019 Jan;65(1)

Background: Human bocavirus (HBoV) is known to cause lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in children and may result in substantial morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine HBoV prevalence among hospitalized infants and small children with acute LRTI in Zagreb, Croatia, as well as to evaluate HBoV DNA quantity in samples in relation to the patients' age and co-infection with other respiratory viruses.

Methods: During winter season 2016/2017, a total of 295 children younger than three years of age who were admitted to hospitals with LRTI were tested for the presence of HBoV, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), parainfluenza virus (PIV) types 1 to 3, and human metapneumovirus (HMPV). Read More

J Med Virol 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon.

Background: Patients with pediatric cancer have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality because of respiratory viral infections than other patient populations.

Objectives: To investigate the causative viruses of respiratory infections and their burden among patients with pediatric cancer in Lebanon.

Study Design: Nasopharyngeal swabs along with clinical and demographic data were collected from patients with pediatric cancer presenting febrile episodes with upper respiratory tract symptoms. Read More

Infect Dis (Lond) 2019 Feb 14:1-8. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

a Infectious Disease Research Unit, Department of Translational Medicine , Lund University , Malmö , Sweden.

Background: Along with the current development of molecular diagnostic methods of respiratory viruses, the bedside patient sampling techniques need to be evaluated. We here asked the question whether the addition of an oropharynx swab to the traditional nasopharynx swab might improve the diagnostic yield of multiplex PCR analysis. Ct values from the two sampling sites were compared as well as patient tolerability. Read More

Antivir Chem Chemother 2019 Jan-Dec;27:2040206619830197

2 Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.

Human metapneumovirus, a paramyxovirus discovered in 2001, is a major cause of lower respiratory infection in adults and children worldwide. There are no licensed vaccines or drugs for human metapneumovirus. We developed a fluorescent, cell-based medium-throughput screening assay for human metapneumovirus that captures inhibitors of all stages of the viral lifecycle except budding of progeny virus particles from the cell membrane. Read More

PLoS One 2019 13;14(2):e0211927. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Treatment with Daratumumab (Dara), a monoclonal anti-CD38 antibody of IgG1 subtype, is effective in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, Dara also impairs the cellular immunity, which in turn may lead to higher susceptibility to infections. The exact link between immune impairment and infectious complications is unclear. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2019 Feb 1;7(1). Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Office of Vaccines Research and Review, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants and the elderly. Although there is no licensed vaccine, RSV-F and -G glycoproteins are targets for vaccine development and therapeutics. We developed an assay that can detect anti-RSV-G IgG antibodies, either as a biomarker of natural exposure or immunization. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'épidémiologie et de Santé publique, Paris, France; Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, UVSQ, UFR de Médecine, Versailles, France; Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris APHP, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Service de Médecine Interne, Boulogne Billancourt, France.

Objectives: We aimed to identify patients' clinical characteristics associated with respiratory viruses identified among patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI).

Methods: A sample of patients of all ages presenting with ILI was included by physicians of the French Sentinelles network during two seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). Nasopharyngeal samples were tested for the presence of influenza virus (IV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (HRV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV). Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Jan 30;9(1):929. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.

Numerous viruses can cause upper respiratory tract infections. They often precede serious lower respiratory tract infections. Each virus has a seasonal pattern, with peaks in activity in different seasons. Read More

J Med Virol 2019 Jun 20;91(6):949-957. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Infection and Immunity, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a crucial pathogen in children. A cell entry is the first step for infection. Our previous study indicated that there was an endocytosis pathway for hMPV cell entry. Read More

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Pediatric Infection.

Background: Acute viral respiratory infections are common causes of febrile episodes in children. There are still limited data about distribution of acute viral respiratory infections in children with cancer.

Objective: The first aim of this study was to evaluate the viral etiology and seasonality of acute viral respiratory infection in pediatric patients with cancer in a 3-year study. Read More

Front Microbiol 2018 9;9:3294. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology/Stem Cell Transplantation, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Highly immunocompromised pediatric and adult hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients frequently experience respiratory infections caused by viruses that are less virulent in immunocompetent individuals. Most of these infections, with the exception of rhinovirus as well as adenovirus and parainfluenza virus in tropical areas, are seasonal variable and occur before and after HCT. Infectious disease management includes sampling of respiratory specimens from nasopharyngeal washes or swabs as well as sputum and tracheal or tracheobronchial lavages. Read More

BMC Bioinformatics 2019 Jan 23;20(1):48. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Background: With sequencing technologies becoming cheaper and easier to use, more groups are able to obtain whole genome sequences of viruses of public health and scientific importance. Submission of genomic data to NCBI GenBank is a requirement prior to publication and plays a critical role in making scientific data publicly available. GenBank currently has automatic prokaryotic and eukaryotic genome annotation pipelines but has no viral annotation pipeline beyond influenza virus. Read More

J Clin Virol 2019 Mar 16;112:15-19. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Children's Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom; Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Level 2, Children's Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a pneumovirus known to cause respiratory disease in children. It was identified as a pathogen in 2001 and its healthcare burden and associated costs are not fully understood.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics of children with HMPV infection admitted to paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) across the United Kingdom (UK) over a nine-year period and to estimate the associated costs of care. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2019 02;25(2):383-384

Human metapneumovirus is an emerging pathogen that causes upper and lower respiratory illness. Nursing home outbreaks of infection with this virus can cause severe illness and lead to poor patient outcomes. We report an outbreak investigation in a nursing home during 2018 and infection control guidelines to assist in disease control. Read More

Yonsei Med J 2019 Feb;60(2):216-222

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Purpose: The most common cause of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is respiratory infection. Most studies of bacterial or viral cause in AECOPD have been conducted in Western countries. We investigated bacterial and viral identification rates in AECOPD in Korea. Read More

J Med Virol 2019 Jun 1;91(6):958-962. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Koç University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently detected virus, which can cause mild to severe respiratory tract infections. Through this study, we aimed to detail the outcomes of hMPV infections.

Materials/methods: Between January 2012 and November 2017, patients who had hMPV detected in nasopharyngeal or bronchoalveolar lavage by molecular respiratory pathogen tests were evaluated. Read More

Braz J Microbiol 2019 Jan 5;50(1):117-125. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Medical University, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Pediatric Clinic, 1 St. Georgi Sofiiski, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and hospital admissions in children. This study aimed to determine the viral etiology of these infections in children aged < 5 years during three successive epidemic seasons in Bulgaria. Nasopharyngeal and throat specimens were collected from children with bronchiolitis and pneumonia during the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 seasons. Read More

Braz J Microbiol 2019 Jan 30;50(1):133-137. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Medicine Department, Clinical Virology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Unit, Sao Paulo Federal University, Rua Pedro de Toledo, 781, 15 andar, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

In 2007, the new polyomaviruses WUPyV and KIPyV were identified in patients with acute respiratory infections. The aim of this study was to investigate these viruses in hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). A retrospective study was conducted with 251 patients, from April 2009 to November 2010, using nasopharyngeal aspirates, naso- and oropharyngeal swab samples from hospitalized patients (children < 12 years and adults) who had SARI within 7 days of the onset of symptoms, including fever (> 38. Read More

Indian J Pediatr 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Pediatrics, T.N. Medical College & B.Y.L. Nair Hospital, Mumbai, India.

Objective: To determine the frequency of respiratory pathogens in infants diagnosed with acute lower respiratory tract infections.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted in infants hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI), in a tertiary care hospital in a metropolitan city of Western India. Nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed by multiplex real time polymerase chain reaction, for 18 viruses and 3 bacteria (H. Read More

J Biol Chem 2019 Mar 9;294(10):3647-3660. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

From the Untié de Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France,

As all the viruses belonging to the order, the nonsegmented negative-strand RNA genome of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is encapsidated by the viral nucleoprotein N. N protein polymerizes along the genomic and anti-genomic RNAs during replication. This requires the maintenance of the neosynthesized N protein in a monomeric and RNA-free form by the viral phosphoprotein P that plays the role of a chaperone protein, forming a soluble N-P complex. Read More

Health Sci Rep 2018 Aug 18;1(8):e59. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis Johannesburg South Africa.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of human bocavirus (hBoV), human coronaviruses (hCoV), and human polyomaviruses (hPyV) among patients with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), in South Africa.

Methods: The study included 680 South African patients randomly selected in age-defined categories from hospitalised patients enrolled through SARI surveillance during 2012 to 2013. A multiplex reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect hBoV; hCoV-OC43, hCoV-229E, hCoV-NL63, and hCoV-HKU1; and Washington University hPyV (hPyV-WU) and Karolinska Insitute hPyV (hPyV-KI), in respiratory tract specimens collected from patients with SARI. Read More

Front Microbiol 2018 12;9:3097. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Pathology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States.

Survival rates for pediatric cancer have steadily improved over time but it remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children. Infections are a major complication of cancer and its treatment. Community acquired respiratory viral infections (CRV) in these patients increase morbidity, mortality and can lead to delay in chemotherapy. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 Mar;100(3):672-680

Duke-Ruhuna Collaborative Research Centre, Galle, Sri Lanka.

The contribution of respiratory viruses to acute febrile illness (AFI) burden is poorly characterized. We describe the prevalence, seasonality, and clinical features of respiratory viral infection among AFI admissions in Sri Lanka. We enrolled AFI patients ≥ 1 year of age admitted to a tertiary care hospital in southern Sri Lanka, June 2012-October 2014. Read More