Volume 8, Number 9—September 2002
Research
Human Metapneumovirus as a Cause of Community-Acquired Respiratory Illness1
Table
Clinical information on patients with influenzalike illness and positive Metapneumovirus polymerase chain reaction results, seen by general practitionersa
Case/sex | Age (yr) | Past medical history | Influenza vaccine | Clinical signs and symptoms (days symptoms persist/total days ill) |
---|---|---|---|---|
F | 46 | None | No | (7/7) febrile respiratory symptoms, sore throat, malaise, and lethargy. Chest clear |
F | 20 | None | No | (2/7) sore throat, unproductive cough, sternal pain, wheeze. Signs: 37.4°C; chest clear |
M | 1 | None | No | (4/7) coughing, vomiting. OE: 37.2°C, chest and abdomen normal |
F | 75 | Mild hypertension | Yes | (4/7) febrile respiratory illness, cough. Signs: 37.4°C, bilateral basal crackles |
F | 57 | COPDb | Yes | (5/7) coryza, sore throat, thick green sputum. Signs: poor air entry and bilateral crackles |
M | 65 | Mild hypertension | No | (3/7) cough, upper respiratory symptoms. Chest clear |
F | 73 | None | Yes | (6/7) cough, green sputum, and dyspnea |
M | 74 | COPDb IHDb | Yes | (5/7) cough, malaise, sputum, breathlessness |
M | 46 | None | No | (6/7) days sore throat, sputum, wheeze, breathlessness Signs: PEFRb 260 mL/min, wheeze |
aAll made a full recovery.
bCOPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; IHD, ischemic heart disease; OE, on examination; PEFR, peak expiratory flow rate.
1 MZ and JS designed the study; DF and MZ organized the sampling. JS performed the polymerase chain reaction analysis and designed the sequencing strategy. IS collected clinical data. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript.