Children Most Affected In HMPV Virus Outbreak This Year: Lancet Study

A study examining trends of the respiratory infection HMPV that emerged in India earlier this year has revealed that children were predominantly affected, with the highest diagnosis rates among those aged 1-2 years.

Cases started to emerge in India during the second week of January. (Representational)

According to research published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, most HMPV-positive cases exhibited symptoms resembling acute respiratory illness or influenza, with fever and cough being the predominant manifestations.

Researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) institutes and the Tamil Nadu Government's Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine observed no "recent change in the epidemiological features of HMPV."

The outbreak in India was connected to a seasonal outbreak in China that began in late 2024, garnering considerable attention due to increasing case numbers and potential impacts.

Studies estimate that Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) accounted for over six percent of respiratory illnesses and five percent of hospitalizations in China.

In India, cases began appearing during the second week of January in various states, including Gujarat and Puducherry.

The research team emphasized that enhanced surveillance remains essential for understanding emerging disease-causing viruses and informing public health policies.

For their analysis, researchers examined data collected between 2019-2023 and in 2024-2025 under the Model for Integrated Influenza Surveillance in Tamil Nadu.

Diagnostic testing was conducted by laboratories within the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Network, established in 2014 under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

During 2019-2023, over 20,000 individuals were tested for HMPV, with 1,030 (3.2 percent) testing positive. In 2024, more than 11,100 were tested, yielding 367 (3.3 percent) positive cases.

The authors noted, "Majority of tests were conducted among children." They further stated, "The highest positivity was observed in those aged 1-2, with 4.5 percent (128/2864) testing positive in 2019-2023 and 4.6 percent (70/1508) in 2024."

Additionally, "fever and cough were the most common symptoms, reported in 70.3 percent of cases from 2019 to 2023 and 79.6 percent (292/8398) in 2024, and in 60.5 percent (401/12,059) and 60.8 percent (223/5977) of cases, respectively," the researchers reported.

The typical duration of illness was found to be 11 days, with an average hospital stay of seven days.

Researchers highlighted that increased testing and positive cases in 2024 indicate that HMPV is increasingly recognized as a significant respiratory pathogen in India.

"Strengthening surveillance networks remains critical to understanding the burden of such emerging viral pathogens and guiding public health policies," they concluded.