Understanding Human Metapneumovirus: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors — BIMC Hospital Bali

Understanding Human Metapneumovirus: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors

Posted on : January 1, 2025
Understanding Human Metapneumovirus Symptoms Causes And Risk Factors Res 1

Be careful when you have a cold, cough, or wheeze that lasts longer than the common symptoms. You may have Human Metapneumovirus. 

This disease is caused by a virus that triggers symptoms like the common cold, such as cough, sore throat, fever, and rash. The information below explains more about this virus, so you can go to the hospital immediately.

Human Metapneumovirus Symptoms 

Human Metapneumovirus Symptoms Res

The reason why Human Metapneumovirus is hard to detect except when you go to the doctor is because the symptoms are like the common cold. It may start with fever, cough, runny nose, and shortness of breath. You often feel these symptoms after coughing, sneezing, handshaking, or even touching specific infected objects. 

The difference is that you feel these symptoms longer than the common cold even after taking regular medications. The symptoms even get worse, such as you suffer from Bronchitis, Pneumonia, asthma, and ear infection without proper medication treatment. The worst part of suffering from Human Metapneumovirus without medical treatments is that you must be hospitalized immediately.   

The Causes of Human Metapneumovirus 

The Causes Of Human Metapneumovirus Res

Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is caused by a specific virus. It is the same virus that can cause mumps and measles. The virus grows in the body by eating your cells. 

The more cells in the body infected by this virus, the bigger the amount of the virus. People who suffer from Human Metapneumovirus can easily transmit the virus to healthy people. 

For example, you are hand-shaking with an infected person. You may suffer from Human Metapneumovirus if you don’t wash your hands. It is the same case if there is a person with Human Metapneumovirus coughing or sneezing in front of them without covering their mouth or nose. 

You may inhale the small splashing particles that contain the HMPV virus. Soon, you will also be a person with HMPV. This virus can also transmit from specific surfaces or objects, such as phones, door handles, keyboards, toys, and many more.   

Human Metapneumovirus Risk Factor 

Human Metapneumovirus Risk Factor Res

People with weak immune systems will suffer from complications because of Human Metapneumovirus. This virus loves to grow in the body of children younger than 5 years old or older people more than 65 years old. 

Children have a weak metabolism because their body is still growing. At the same time, aging can make your metabolism weaker. Human Metapneumovirus is also commonly found in people who have a weakened immune system. 

For example, there is a person with HIV, cancer, or autoimmune disorders. They can easily be infected by this virus after contact with infected people or objects. Be careful if you have asthma or COPD because this virus also loves to grow in such a kind of metabolism. 

The Way to Diagnose Human Metapneumovirus 

The Way To Diagnose Human Metapneumovirus Res

You can’t detect Human Metapneumovirus yourself, although the symptoms are like the common cold. You can go to our hospital, BIMC Hospital Kuta in Bali when you are there. Our doctors will check your health condition based on the symptoms and your health report. 

Then, our doctors will also use a specific tool, such as a soft-tipped stick or a swab test tool. The function of the swab test tool is to take a sample from your nose or throat. They will take it to the lab and process the sample to detect the virus or other infections. 

Our doctors will also recommend you take a bronchoscopy or chest X-ray test to find out whether you are suffering from Human Metapneumovirus or not. These two tests help to know if there is an HMPV virus in the airways of the lungs.  

The Way to Treat Human Metapneumovirus 

The Way To Treat Human Metapneumovirus Res

Say our doctors diagnose you with Human Metapneumovirus. You must remain calm to keep your metabolism stable. We have some medical treatment options to overcome Human Metapneumovirus. The treatment depends on the symptoms you are suffering from. 

For example, you find it difficult to breathe, and it makes you uncomfortable. In this condition, we will suggest you take oxygen therapy. This therapy works to give extra oxygen to your body. You must use a tube in your nose or mask on your face while the machine transfers the oxygen to your body. 

We suggest you take IV fluids if you look dehydrated. The fluid from the machine will be transferred to your vein (IV). As a result, you are hydrated and strong enough to let your body beat the virus. 

We will do one of the treatments here only if you have serious HMPV symptoms. The idea of the treatment is to strengthen your metabolism and cells, so your body can kill the virus. The thing you must know is that the HMPV virus can’t be killed by consuming antibiotics. 

Antibiotics are used to handle diseases caused by bacteria. Our doctor will give you antibiotics only if you are also suffering from a bacterial infection from HMPV. 

The Way to Prevent Human Metapneumovirus Infection 

The Way To Prevent Human Metapneumovirus Infection Res

You can prevent Human Metapneumovirus infection by doing some simple actions. The simplest one is washing your hands after hand shaking or touching specific surfaces or objects. Use hand soap to kill the virus around your hands. 

Alternatively, you can bring a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Spray the hand sanitizer anytime you need it to kill the virus immediately. You must do this tip, especially before eating. 

You can also wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth, especially if you are in public areas. The mask can protect you from viruses and other harmful particles that make you ill, including the HMPV virus.

Remember to cover your nose and mouth with your elbow when you sneeze or cough. It prevents the small particles from spreading around the people near you. 

Be careful if you are around sick people and wear a mask if you must meet them. 

Try not to use eating utensils from the infected person because the virus may still be on it. So, you must separate the eating utensils if there is an HMPV patient at home.

We suggest you come to BIMC Hospital Kuta in Bali to get more information about HMPV. Our doctors will check your health condition and decide the best treatments to handle your HMPV symptoms. Visit our official website, www.bimcbali.com/bimc-hospital-kuta to learn more about our hospital and the services, including making an appointment for an HMPV diagnosis to BIMC Hospital Kuta Call Centre at +62 811 3960 8500 (text only).

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