HMPV at risk for infants: key questions answered
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday clarified that HMPV has been in circulation across the world since its identification in 2001, adding that it affects the human body like the common cold and requires hospitalization in most cases. Doesn’t happen.
Three cases of HMPV have been reported in India after the virus spread in China. Three infants, two from Bengaluru and one from Gujarat, have tested positive for the virus. However, the government said HMPV is not a cause for concern, although several states have issued advisories for citizens, urging them to wear masks to reduce the risk of transmission.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday clarified that HMPV has been in circulation across the world since its identification in 2001, adding that it affects the human body like the common cold and requires hospitalization in most cases. Doesn’t happen.
However, he said the government is monitoring the situation globally and taking all necessary measures to protect public health.
Top Pediatrician Answers Questions About HMPV in Babies
Q. Are newborns and infants more susceptible to HMPV?
– Well, babies, but maybe not newborns.
Generally, it is seen that the maximum incidence of this disease occurs at or shortly after, say, four to six months of age, and not in the first few months of life. So, but yes, babies are more at risk. They have not yet been exposed to this virus in the past.
Therefore, the first time they are exposed, their immune system is not yet fully developed. Therefore, they are comparatively more likely to develop more severe disease. And that is why our concern increases when it comes to seeing an infant with a suspected respiratory infection. Most of the time, this respiratory infection occurs just like any other respiratory tract infection.
Q. What can parents actually do to protect their babies during this time?
– Well, since there isn’t much around, it’s not like every other child or other adult is suffering from it. There is no real need to protect children in that sense as we did during the Covid days. This is definitely not necessary. And then they’re little babies, you can’t use masks and all that.
What can be done is that those who have respiratory infections, whether they are adults or some older children, let’s say three, four, five years old, let’s say the elderly or infants, when they have any infection, they should be given a little Should be kept away for one, two, three days until they start improving.
Otherwise, it’s not really necessary to take any other precautions at the moment. Yes, if the child starts suffering from illness, we can seek medical help.
Q. How would you define this disease? What are the signs people should pay attention to in babies?
– They’re just like anything else we call viral infections of the respiratory tract. This means a runny nose, stuffy nose, blocked nose, some degree of cough, some degree of redness of the face and entire body, some degree of fever, but the symptoms usually end there.
It is very rare that someone starts breathing rapidly and gets pneumonia.
Q. Can HMPV really be fatal for infants or young children?
Well, be careful. Yes, it is possible that it could be fatal, but it would be a very rare case.
After all, in our experience it has been less than 1% or perhaps increased from 0 to 1% or even less. The few cases that we have tested and found positive have not given us much insight.
Its importance is that it is a virus and we should be doubly careful about it. Now, we treat it as just another respiratory virus and treat it as if it is a normal viral infection.
So, what I would say is that if it is the only virus that is causing respiratory illness, it is unlikely to become a serious or fatal disease.
If there are more viruses, a virus or super-addled bacterial infection sets in, it may be a different story.
Top Pulmonologist on Why HMPV Affects Babies
Dr Vibhu Kawatra said that HMPV is not new and has been in practice for years. He said that unless mutations are seen in the virus, it is unlikely that HMPV could cause major problems.
However, he said infants are more likely to be affected because newborns do not have a fully developed immune system and are not exposed to the virus, so do not have any antibodies.
Dr. Kawatra said that the virus is likely to affect older people, those who are undergoing cancer treatment or those who are diabetic. He said mild symptoms range from common cold to rapid breathing.
In the worst case, he said, the virus can cause severe bronchiolitis and the patient may even need to be put on a ventilator for assistance.
Dr. Ankita Baidya made similar comments, but said that HMPV in infants can cause pneumonia that may require oxygen therapy. Although there is no cause for concern in India right now, Dr Baidya said people with weak immune systems need to be careful.
He said all people with symptoms should wear masks when visiting public places and maintain social distancing as much as possible. Dr. Baidya said that in people who have come in contact with this virus, its symptoms start appearing three-six days after its appearance.
Dr Nirav Patel, who treated an infant suffering from HMPV in Gujarat, said the child was kept on ventilator support for five days, after which he recovered. He said the infant was affected by the virus as his lungs were already weak.
Dr. Patel said that the symptoms of the virus are similar to the common cold, with infants complaining of breathlessness only in severe cases.
