Bhubaneswar: When the detection of 2 Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Karnataka by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) with patients having no travel history hint at circulation of hMPV in India, Hyderabad-based doctor Dr Sivaranjani Santosh had shared cases of hMPV detection in Hyderabad since the year 2022.
Sharing the hMPV positive tested cases treated earlier to media in Hyderabad, she highlighted that 4 cases treated successfully since 2022 were pediatric cases. (see the images below)
And the cases detected in Karnataka were also pediatric cases.
WHY KARNATAKA DETECTS FIRST hMPV CASES?
As per IDSP report on seasonal Influenza cases across the country, Karnataka has been the only State that had shown unprecedented rise in seasonal influenza cases in year 2024. Mark the table below that shows states with sharp spike in influenza cases in year 2024
STATES | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Karnataka | 1733 | 2030 | 458 | 13 | 517 | 118 | 3431 |
Kerala | 879 | 845 | 71 | 0 | 90 | 1025 | 3276 |
Delhi | 205 | 3627 | 412 | 92 | 442 | 209 | 3091 |
Chhattisgarh | 12 | 169 | 10 | 6 | 399 | 35 | 620 |
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A glance at the above data reveals that Karnataka has registered a humunguos 2807% rise in seasonal influenza cases in 2024 vis-a-vis 2023. The data also shows near doubling of cases in Chhattisgarh and near tripling in Kerala; whereas Delhi exhibited 1378% jump. The sudden soar shows high viral circulation in the states.
The sharp spike in seasonal influenza virus shows the environment in the states in the year 2024 has become suitable for virus circulation.
As per study “Indoor environment and viral infections” results reported in National Centre for Biotechnology Information,
“In viral transmission, the role of temperature and humidity play the major role. These relationships are critically important for predicting infection growth rates and to counsel people on possible home interventions that could be deployed to mitigate viral transmission.”
WHY hMPV IN KARNATAKA DETECTED NOW?
In order to detect hMPV, doctors have to conduct a specific RT-PCR test to detect the virus.
Since after the China outbreak, the Union Health department has started surveillance of multiple viral pathogens to detect hMPV cases. The result, 2 cases were detected.
As per Dr Santosh, many private labs offer viral panels that use nasal and oropharyngeal swabs to identify specific pathogens these days. These tests can differentiate between viruses like influenza, parainfluenza, RSV, hMPV, or even bacterial causes like Mycoplasma pneumonia.
WILL hMPV TURN ANOTHER COVID-19?
The shares by Dr Sivaranjini Santosh with regard to detection of cases since 2022 shows that the virus circulation was there in India since years ago.
And it also hints that the circulation has been higher in states having high humidity and low temperature.
As per study results in National Centre for Biotechnology Information,
“HMPV particles remained infectious for hours at room temperature and 4°C, while significant degradation of infectivity occurred at 37°C.”
The above study result shows the virus infectivity remains high in October to March, and thereafter reduced significantly from April onwards.
As a consequence, the hMPV infections are not reported for the whole year, like Covid-19.
