HMPV unlikely to cause severe infections, no need for alarm, says former ICMR Scientist

HMPV was discovered years ago and has since spread worldwide, with infections primarily occurring during winter.

There is no reason to panic about human metapneumovirus (HMPV) unless a global health agency reports a genetic mutation in the virus, a News18 report quoting Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, former scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said. He emphasized that in its current form, HMPV is unlikely to cause severe infections, even amid global concerns of a coronavirus-like outbreak.

"We need not worry about HMPV unless a global health agency reports a genetic mutation in the virus. Without such a report, there is no reason to equate HMPV with coronavirus or Covid-19," Gangakhedkar explained.

According to India’s leading epidemiologist, HMPV has been around for several years, but other viruses like influenza A and H1N1 have garnered more attention from researchers due to their higher lethality.

"The severity of HMPV is not significant. It primarily affects young children below five years who lack exposure or immunocompromised individuals, and even then, severe cases are rare. For adults, prolonged illness may occasionally lead to pneumonia," Gangakhedkar noted.

He also pointed out that the mortality rate of HMPV is very low and not well-studied because fatalities linked to the virus are rare.

Cross-sectional surveys, he said, have revealed that 4% to 15% of the population has antibodies against HMPV in their blood samples. "This indicates that the Indian population, particularly those aged between 5 and 65 years, has been exposed to this viral infection over the years. It spreads like any other common flu, and we are already protected against a so-called anticipated outbreak," Gangakhedkar added.

He dismissed fears of another pandemic, explaining that global concerns are largely driven by two factors: the association of winter outbreaks with December (the month Covid-19 was first reported) and China (the country where Covid-19 originated). "There is no other logical explanation," he said.

Gangakhedkar clarified that HMPV was discovered years ago and has since spread worldwide, with infections primarily occurring during winter. The virus causes symptoms like fever, cough, and cold and rarely results in pneumonia in healthy individuals.