How to prevent HMPV virus infection?

In recent days, information about the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) virus causing respiratory diseases has been of interest to many people. Many people are also worried about the risk of complications and how this virus spreads.

According to information from the National Children's Hospital, in Vietnam, HMPV is not a new virus but was discovered in 2023 and 2024. The National Children's Hospital has also detected a number of cases of HMPV infection in children with bronchiolitis and pneumonia; however, there have been no cases of severe complications.

HMPV virus has the ability to spread quickly, mainly circulating in winter and spring, causing respiratory infections, spreading through droplets containing the virus, when sick people cough, sneeze... The virus can survive for a long time in the air, surfaces, objects and is transmitted to healthy people upon contact.

People susceptible to HMPV virus infection are children under 5 years old, especially infants, the elderly over 65 years old, people with immunodeficiency, people with underlying diseases such as congenital heart disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital immunodeficiency...

Currently, there is no specific treatment for HMPV virus disease, mainly symptomatic treatment.

According to doctors, usually, the disease caused by HMPV virus has a mild course and the patient can recover after 2-5 days. However, for risk subjects such as young children, children with chronic heart, lung, kidney, metabolic diseases, anemia or immunodeficiency... can suffer from complications such as bronchiolitis, respiratory failure; pneumonia, respiratory failure; can be co-infected with other bacteria and viruses, causing severe systemic infection, prolonging the treatment time.

Doctors also recommend that to prevent disease caused by HMPV virus, young children need to be breastfed and ensure adequate and reasonable nutrition.

People should practice environmental sanitation, improve personal hygiene, cover their mouths when sneezing, and wash their hands regularly with soap and clean water.

People should also clean their nose and throat with saline, wear masks when going out, limit going to crowded places, avoid contact with sick people or people suspected of having the disease, and get vaccinated fully and on schedule according to the expanded immunization program.