Relevance of human metapneumovirus in exacerbations of COPD |
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| Authors: | G Rohde I Borg U Arinir J Kronsbein R Rausse TT Bauer A Bufe G Schultze-Werninghaus |
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| Affiliation: | 1.Clinical Research Group "Significance of viral infections in chronic respiratory diseases of children and adults", Department of Internal Medicine III, Pneumology, Allergology and Sleep Medicine, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, D-44789 Bochum, Germany;2.Clinical Research Group "Significance of viral infections in chronic respiratory diseases of children and adults", Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr-University-Bochum, Bochum, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Background and methodsHuman metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently discovered respiratory virus associated with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, croup and exacerbations of asthma. Since respiratory viruses are frequently detected in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AE-COPD) it was our aim to investigate the frequency of hMPV detection in a prospective cohort of hospitalized patients with AE-COPD compared to patients with stable COPD and to smokers without by means of quantitative real-time RT-PCR.ResultsWe analysed nasal lavage and induced sputum of 130 patients with AE-COPD, 65 patients with stable COPD and 34 smokers without COPD. HMPV was detected in 3/130 (2.3%) AE-COPD patients with a mean of 6.5 × 105 viral copies/ml in nasal lavage and 1.88 × 105 viral copies/ml in induced sputum. It was not found in patients with stable COPD or smokers without COPD.ConclusionHMPV is only found in a very small number of patients with AE-COPD. However it should be considered as a further possible viral trigger of AE-COPD because asymptomatic carriage is unlikely. |
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