Abstract

The human metapneumovirus was associated with respiratory infections among children without others etiologic causes attributable. Researchers worldwide subsequently detected the virus in samples from all age groups. Our study was established on adults presented with acute respiratory infections from 2001 to 2003. Three groups of outpatients were enrolled: community patients, health care workers and kidney transplant recipients. Routine detection for seven different viruses was undertaken and negative results were set up for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with primers targeted to hMPV´s F gene. Twenty four out of 185 patients (12.97%) were considered positive after amplification of a 347 bp fragment. The virus was detected from June to September in the 2001 to 2002 periods, peaks were higher than 2003 and circulation began earlier in that year. Patients older than 51 years were associated with the infection (p = 0.006). Community cases exhibited a higher incidence (18.92%, 11/59) than that of health care workers (10.75%, 10/92) and transplant patients (8.82%, 3/34). No characteristic symptoms could be associated with hMPV infection. Transplanted patients were less symptomatic than the other groups evaluated. Metapneumovirus infections should also be considered within the diagnostics possibilities of respiratory viruses in adult population.

Key words: Human metapneumovirus, epidemiology, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).