ArticleEClinicalMedicine2025
The prevalence and role of human metapneumovirus in respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis of global data.
Article in EClinicalMedicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The Global Burden of Human Metapneumovirus in High-Risk Adults: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of epidemiology and global health · 2026Pooled it
- Reduced expression of human metapneumovirus matrix protein impacts virus assembly and ribonucleoprotein localization.Journal of virology · 2026Article
- Etiology and Clinical Manifestations of Acute Respiratory Infections in Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Study in Moscow, Russia.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Epidemiological and Molecular Characterization of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Children Under 14 Years of Age in Shijiazhuang City, China.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Awareness of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) among healthcare professionals in Libya.The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association · 2026Article
- Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV): Advances in Diagnosis, Molecular Epidemiology, and Clinical Impact of an Underrecognized Respiratory Virus.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Article
- Clinical Outcomes and Molecular Epidemiology of Human Metapneumovirus in Romanian Hospitalized Patients.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Genetic and epidemiological characteristics of the spread of human metapneumovirus in Bulgaria, 2023-2025.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Clinical characteristics, co-detection patterns and prognostic risk factors of human metapneumovirus infection in children: a retrospective study.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Interpretable machine learning identifies immune-inflammatory and immunothrombotic biomarkers for myocardial injury and mortality risk stratification in severe pneumonia with diverse infectious etiologies.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a significant respiratory pathogen, yet its global prevalence and epidemiological patterns remain poorly characterized. This study presents the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of hMPV prevalence among patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs), addressing a critical gap in the literature, and clarifying the association between hMPV infection and RTIs. Methods: We conducted a systematic search across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, from 2002 to 2024. Studies reporting hMPV prevalence detected by Polymerase chain reaction-based methods in respiratory samples were included. Data was analyzed using random-effects models, with subgroup analyses by age, region, diagnostic methods, and patient's demographic. The main outcome was hMPV prevalence among patients with RTIs. Findings: The global pooled prevalence of hMPV among 2,236,820 patients with RTIs was 5.3% (95% CI: 5.0%-5.6%). Prevalence was highest in children under 5 years (6.7%) and lowest in adults (2.5%). Lower respiratory infections showed the highest prevalence (8.2%), with bronchiolitis (7.0%) and pneumonia (5.5%) being prominent. Inpatients exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of hMPV (6.1%) compared to outpatients (3.3%). Among hMPV-positive samples, type A was more prevalent than type B. A meta-analysis of 41 case-control datasets revealed a significant association between hMPV infection and respiratory infections (pooled odds ratio [OR] = 4.6; 95% CI: 3.7-5.6; I Interpretation: This first-of-its-kind meta-analysis highlights hMPV as a major contributor to RTIs, particularly in young children and severe respiratory conditions. The findings show the need for improved diagnostic strategies, targeted surveillance, and vaccine development to mitigate hMPV's global burden. Funding: This study was financially supported by the Iran University of Medical Sciences (Grant Number: 1402-2-75-25881).
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