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A viral infection call human metapneumovirus ( HMPV ) is on the rise among children inChina , grant to Chinese country spiritualist .
The virus can do upper respiratory nerve pathway infection — like colds — as well as serious lung infections and , according to state media , it ’s now one of the top four most common viral infection among hospital visitors in China .
" HMPV has been recognised as a significant problem in the at - jeopardy universe across the world since the turn of the century when it was first discovered,“Andrew Easton , a virology professor at the University of Warwick in the U.K. who cogitation pneumoviruses , told Live Science in an email . " That risk has not changed significantly over the last almost 25 years . "
That said , " it is always refer to see a change in the incidence or pattern of an infection , " Easton add together . It ’s important to look into potential surges in contagion to pinpoint their cause .
What is HMPV?
HMPV belong to the same family of viruses asrespiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) , a seasonal virus that also get low temperature and lung infections . HMPV was hear in 2001 and , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) epidemiologistEileen Schneider , the computer virus is associated with approximately20,000 hospitalization insurance among children under 5 in the U.S. every year .
Common symptoms of the infection include coughing , febrility , a blocked nose and shortness of breath . However , these can progress tobronchitis(inflammation of the aviation metro take to the lung ) orpneumonia(where the lungs ' air sacs fill with fluid ) .
new nipper , the elderly and those with compromise immune systems are most vulnerable to stark symptom , according to the CDC .
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Should other countries be worried about HMPV in China?
" HMPV is a serious business especially for very young baby in the first year of life , " Easton said . This is also true of RSV , as well asseasonal influenza , or " the flu . " However , he add that the risk posed by HMPV has not significantly vary since its find in the other 2000s .
In a statement release Dec. 27,Kan Biao , the head of the China CDC ’s National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention , announced that the charge per unit of HMPV among baby age 14 and under was on the rise in China , according toChina Daily . This salary increase in cases was also cover byReuters . However , the shell and cause of the uptick are still undecipherable .
" It is important to be able to detect change in radiation diagram of infection and to then identify what the possible causal agency are , " Easton enounce . " [ We must ] assess whether it is a alteration in a behavior of the septic people that has led to increased exposure or whether it is a change in the virus that has led to increase numbers of septic individuals . "
It ’s unlikely that mutations , or genetic variety , to the HMPV virus are the perpetrator behind the cover ascending in infection , he order , but additional testing of the virus ’s genetic codification is required to rule out this theory .
Meanwhile , China Daily noted that the overall bed cover of respiratory infection in China this wintertime has been lower than in recent years .
Live Science has reach out to officials and scientists in China for comment on the situation but had not heard back at the time of publication .
How can we protect ourselves from HMPV?
There are no useable vaccines against HMPV . Additionally , according to the U.S. CDC , there are no specific antiviral treatment for the virus . Rather , discourse for HMPV is supportive , stand for it aims to reduce symptoms and keep vital signs static .
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According to the CDC , the infection duration is variable between individuals but similar to other respiratory infection , include the common common cold .
To prevent HMPV infections , individuals can take the same precautionary measure they would for other respiratory viruses .
" HMPV is a respiratory contagion spread in the same direction as other respiratory virus like grippe and COVID-19 , " Easton say . " We can protect ourselves against HMPV in the same way of life that we do for those computer virus . "
The CDC recommends the following :
HMPV is among the viral illnessesthat the U.S. CDC monitors continually , so any uptick in transmission would become apparent very quickly .
This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice .
