Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which usually makes its appearance in the winter and spring, most commonly affects the upper respiratory tract, causing nasal congestion, cough and shortness of breath, as well as fever. It typically lasts three to seven days.
Human metapneumovirus, which was discovered in 2001, is a paramyxovirus, a family of viruses known to cause a wide range of common infections. Other paramyxoviruses include parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus , measles and mumps.
Virus experts have speculated that the surge in a number of viruses, including RSV, may be an aftereffect of covid lockdowns and masking. Small interactions with viruses prime our system to better handle future exposures to viruses. But after years of masking and social distancing in schools, children have fewer biological defenses to fend off multiple viruses at once.
Gandhi said it's important to note that the virus can spread even when people are asymptomatic. In one study, asymptomatic human metapneumovirus infections accounted for at least 38 percent of infections. "We try to make you feel better and make sure that your breathing is okay while your body fights off the virus," said William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases and preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University. Although rare, Schaffner said that in severe cases in which people are having difficulty breathing, "we can put them in an intensive care unit and treat them there," but most people fully recover on their own.
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