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A newly discovered human pneumovirus isolated from young children with respiratory tract disease

Nature Medicine volume 7, pages 719–724 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

From 28 young children in the Netherlands, we isolated a paramyxovirus that was identified as a tentative new member of the Metapneumovirus genus based on virological data, sequence homology and gene constellation. Previously, avian pneumovirus was the sole member of this recently assigned genus, hence the provisional name for the newly discovered virus: human metapneumovirus. The clinical symptoms of the children from whom the virus was isolated were similar to those caused by human respiratory syncytial virus infection, ranging from upper respiratory tract disease to severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Serological studies showed that by the age of five years, virtually all children in the Netherlands have been exposed to human metapneumovirus and that the virus has been circulating in humans for at least 50 years.

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Figure 1: Electron micrograph of hMPV particles.
Figure 2: Schematic representation of genomic fragments obtained from hMPV.
Figure 3: Nucleotide and deduced amino-acid sequences for selected regions of the hMPV genome.
Figure 4: Phylogenetic analysis of ORFs of hMPV and selected pneumoviruses.
Figure 5: Phylogenetic analysis of 9 hMPV isolates.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M.H. Malim and R. Oakey for providing oligonucleotides for and stimulating discussions on RAP-PCR and J. Habova, T. Bestebroer, B. Niemeyer, G. Aaron and C. Burghoorn for excellent technical assistance. R.F. is a fellow of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Bernadette G. van den Hoogen, Jan C. de Jong, Jan Groen, Thijs Kuiken, Ron A.M. Fouchier & Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Ronald de Groot

Authors
  1. Bernadette G. van den Hoogen
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  2. Jan C. de Jong
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  3. Jan Groen
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  4. Thijs Kuiken
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  5. Ronald de Groot
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  6. Ron A.M. Fouchier
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  7. Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus.

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van den Hoogen, B., de Jong, J., Groen, J. et al. A newly discovered human pneumovirus isolated from young children with respiratory tract disease. Nat Med 7, 719–724 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/89098

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