[First detection of human metapneumovirus in a child with respiratory syndrome in Hungary].

Introduction: Human metapneumovirus was identified in 2001 as a respiratory-tract pathogen that has been classified as a new genera in family Paramyxoviridae.

Aims: Molecular detection of human metapneumovirus in Hungary.

Materials And Methods: Human metapneumovirus was identified in nasopharyngeal aspirate amplification of the viral fusion and nucleocapsid genes by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.

Results: A 4 years-old girl with chronic respiratory syndrome chronically treated with anti-asthma drugs was admitted to hospital in November 2005 with acute respiratory syndrome and atelectasis. Nasopharyngeal aspirate was negative for common bacteria by culture and for influenza and coronavirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. By contrast, specimen was positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and was confirmed by sequencing both genes (nucleocapsid and fusion) of human metapneumovirus. Human metapneumovirus (HUN 05-L20) clustered into the subgroup B1 has the closest nucleotide similarity (98%) to JPS03-194 (AY530094) detected in Japan.

Conclusions: Human metapneumovirus contributes as an etiological agent of acute lower and upper respiratory tract infection especially in winter season in children with bronchiolitis, pneumonia or episodes of asthma exacerbation in Hungary, too.