Human metapneumovirus infection in Korean children.
10.3345/kjp.2006.49.4.401
- Author:
Hee Hyun YEOM
1
;
Joon Soo PARK
;
Dong Jun JEONG
;
Chang Jin KIM
;
Yong Bae KIM
;
Dea Hoon LEE
;
Kyung Joong KIM
;
Jong Yoon CHUN
;
Chun KANG
;
Yoon Seok CHUNG
;
Hyang Min CHEONG
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea. allergist@korea.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Metapneumovirus;
Respiratory tract infection;
Korea;
Child
- MeSH:
Asymptomatic Infections;
Bronchiolitis;
Child*;
Child, Hospitalized;
Chungcheongnam-do;
Epidemiology;
Female;
Glycoproteins;
Humans*;
Korea;
Metapneumovirus*;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Respiratory Tract Infections;
RNA
- From:Korean Journal of Pediatrics
2006;49(4):401-409
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Human metapneumovirus(hMPV) is a respiratory viral pathogen that causes a wide spectrum of illnesses, ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe bronchiolitis. The virus has been identified world widely, but so far it has not been published in Korea. METHODS: We obtained clinical samples by nasopharyngeal aspiration from 218 children hospitalized due to acute lower respiratory tract infections at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Cheonan from October, 2004 to April, 2005. We designed specific primers from conserved region of fusion glycoprotein of hMPV. Total RNA was extracted and RT-PCR was performed, and single specific 423 bp product was obtained. The PCR product was confirmed to be fusion glycoprotein RNA by sequencing. RESULTS: We detected hMPV in 15(6.9 percent) of the 218 hospitalized children. The infected children comprised nine boys and six girls; their mean age was 2.8 years(5 mo-12 yrs) and they were diagnosed with pneumonia(60 percent), bronchiolitis(33.3 percent), croup(6.6 percent). The number of cases of detected hMPV in Korea increased dramatically during the period from March to May 2005. CONCLUSION: hMPV is circulating in Korean children and is associated with respiratory tract infection. Additional studies are required to define the epidemiology and the extent of diseases in the general population caused by hMPV.
