Human Metapneumovirus–Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections among Hospitalized Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)–Infected and HIV-1–Uninfected African Infants

Madhi, Shabir A.; Ludewick, Herbert; Abed, Yacine; Klugman, Keith P.; Boivin, Guy

Respiratory tract infections due to human metapneumovirus (hMPV) have been reported worldwide, with the exception of Africa. The prevalence of hMPV infection was studied among human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)–infected and HIV-1–uninfected African infants who were hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). Nasopharyngeal aspirate samples obtained from 81 HIV-1–infected and 110 HIV-1–uninfected infants who had tested negative for other respiratory viruses were selected for investigation. hMPV was detected in 10 HIV-1–uninfected infants (9.1%) and 3 HIV-1–infected infants (3.7%). Compared with the entire cohort of HIV-1–uninfected infants, hMPV was 4.6-fold less common than respiratory syncytial virus, but it was 3.2-fold more common than influenza virus and 2.1-fold more common than parainfluenza virus types 1–3. Genotyping of 7 of 14 isolates revealed the circulation of 2 major phylogenetic groups of the virus, which were similar to those described in North America and Europe.