Seroprevalence of Anti-Human Metapneumovirus Antibodies in Hospitalized Children in Suleimani City/Iraq.

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2014-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Background: Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important respiratory viral pathogen among children, and it is one of the causes of pediatric hospital admissions due to acute respiratory tract infections. Objective: This study was done to predict the seroprevalence of anti-hMPV antibodies among hospitalized children presenting with acute respiratory tract infections in Suleimani Governorate, Kurdistan Region/Iraq. Place and Duration: This study was done at the department of microbiology, school of medicine, suleimani University, between April 2011 and March 2012. Methods: Indirect immunofluorescent assay (IIFA) was performed to detect serum antihMPV antibodies (IgM and IgG antibodies) from three hundred hospitalized children less than 5 years old with acute respiratory tract infections. Results: IgM anti-hMPV antibodies were positive in thirty six (12%) out of three hundred children. The highest seroprevalence was found in the age group <1 year old, while the lowest in the age group 4 to <5 years old. No significant gender difference was found among seropositive children. The IgM anti – hMPV seropositive children were suffering from pneumonia, bronchiolitis, or other less severe acute respiratory tract infections like acute bronchitis and croup in frequencies of sixteen (44%), 10 (28%), and 10 (28%). The IgG anti-hMPV antibodies were positive in two hundred and twenty five (75%) out of the three hundred children, and there was a gradual increase in percentage of seropositivity with increasing age. Conclusion: hMPV is an important viral respiratory pathogen among hospitalized children in Suleimani Governorate/Kurdistan/Iraq, and most of the children had experienced hMPV infection by the age of five years.
Description
Keywords
Hospitalized children, indirect immunofluorescence assay, human metapneumovirus, acute respiratory tract infection
Citation
Aziz Tariq A G, Salmo Nabil, Bayati Ali H. Seroprevalence of Anti-Human Metapneumovirus Antibodies in Hospitalized Children in Suleimani City/Iraq. British Microbiology Research Journal. 2014 Dec; 4(12): 1325-1334.