• 12 June, 2025
• By Admin

HMPV Cases Are Increasing In India: What Is It? Here’s What We Know So Far

You may have begun to hear about HMPV recently, as reports of increasing cases come back to you, principally out of India but also in other countries. So, what is this virus, and is it something to worry about? The following gives an in-depth overview of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), including its symptoms, risks, and why it is once again drawing attention to the importance of respiratory health during the season.

What Is HMPV?

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a widely spread respiratory virus which appeared in 2001. It has since been known to cause respiratory infections throughout the world as a common cause. HMPV is a member of the same family as the famous respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and its epidemiology and seasonal performance closely resemble that of RSV and influenza.

HMPV has been circulating in humans for decades, unlike the novel pathogen SARS-CoV-2. It is encountered by almost all children before the age of five, and it may be re-infected throughout life.

Why Are HMPV Cases on the Rise in India?

Recently, India has had more than 15 confirmed cases of HMPV, with clusters being reported in the states of Gujarat, Puducherry, Assam, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Although it is not as prevalent yet, the figures match those all over the world, especially in milder climates where respiratory diseases peak during late winter and early spring.

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Increased surveillance and more testing are causing an increased detection of HMPV in northern India and other Asian regions. However, health officials emphasise that the cases currently are not exploding but seasonal, which is a part of a normal annual respiratory surge.

Who Is at Risk?

Although HMPV tends to produce mild illness, there are some higher-risk groups that are more susceptible to severe consequences:

• Babies and toddlers, mainly below two years old.
• Adults, especially those who are over 65.
• Individuals who have impaired immune systems (persons with chronic illnesses, cancer or autoimmune disorders).
• People who have chronic lung diseases, including asthma or COPD.

Usually, the effects are mild on healthy adults who tend to recover in less than a week or two with a few symptoms that resemble those of a cold. However, among infants and older patients, HMPV may cause complications, including bronchiolitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, or asthma attacks.

Recognising HMPV: Signs & Symptoms

HMPV shows a substantial overlap of the symptoms with other respiratory viruses, which leads to the difficulty of clinical diagnosis, except in cases when HMPV can be confirmed by laboratory means:

• Typical (mild) symptoms:
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Nasal congestion or a runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Body aches or a headache
  • Fatigue
• Severe symptoms (in high-risk groups):
  • Wheezing, rapid breathing, or breathing difficulty
  • Chest retractions (visible pulling in of chest muscles)
  • Persistent high fever, dizziness, and dehydration
  • Signs of pneumonia or bronchitis

The majority of the people who have been infected recover successfully with simple support measures: rest, fluids, management of fever and alleviation of symptoms. Only critical diseases need hospitalisation, oxygen supply, or other interventions of a higher order.

How Is HMPV Diagnosed?

The primary diagnosis of HMPV is based on RT-PCR testing of respiratory specimens, which is performed in the same way as influenza and COVID-19. HMPV is detected in many UniqPath Lab tests of respiratory panels. Nevertheless, the absence of a specific antiviral treatment may lead to the fact that some physicians do not recommend testing unless a patient is at high risk or in case of severe disease.

Is There Treatment or a Vaccine?

Today, no antivirals or vaccines against HMPV are approved in the US or India. Therapy is centred on supportive measures, which include:

• Rest and fluid support
• Fever reducers (e.g., acetaminophen)
• Supplemental oxygen if required
• In rare, severe pediatric or immunocompromised cases, clinicians may explore off-label treatments like ribavirin or intravenous immunoglobulin—but these are not routine.

There are some rare, severe cases of pediatric or immunocompromised patients, and clinicians can consider off-label medical options such as ribavirin or intravenous immunoglobulin, but these are not the norm.

Researchers are testing vaccine candidates, some of which are mRNA-based designs and recombinant viral vectors, and early trials have shown promise. There is, however, the unavailability of a viable vaccine that can be used clinically.

How Does India’s Public Health System View HMPV?

The MoHFW and ICMR have been going out to assure the people that they should not be alarmed. They regard the existing rise of HMPV as being seasonal and point out that the surveillance systems of India can detect and control such cases.

Surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) is still being monitored, and multiplex PCR panels are being used in regional laboratories to identify HMPV, amongst others.

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Health officials are giving preventive recommendations for traditional respiratory hygiene:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
• Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
• Avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals
• Keep indoor gatherings ventilated

What Should You Do?

For Most People:

• Manage mild cases of HMPV as a cold or flu- rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain and fever relievers.
• Follow up: contact a doctor in case of respiratory difficulties, excessive fever that lasts more than one week, excessive dehydration, or sluggishness.

For Parents, Elders, and Immunocompromised Individuals:

• Pay particular attention: wheezing, lack of air, or the inability to drink may be a sign of complications.
• Visit your healthcare professional immediately to check and even be admitted to the hospital.

Preventive Tips for Everyone:

• Keep general hygiene, such as washing hands and wearing masks in crowded areas.
• Keep your current flu and COVID-19 shots in mind. Although they do not block HMPV, they lower the chances of co-infections and concomitant seasonal diseases.

Looking Ahead

HMPV is not a novel threat; however, its seasonality shows the need to ascertain good respiratory disease surveillance. This is what health experts and labs such as UniqPath are up to:

• Surveillance: Monitoring trends of viruses and flu, RSV and COVID?19.
• Testing: Inclusion of HMPV in routine respiratory panels to measure the infection rates.
• Preparedness: Stocking labs and hospitals in anticipation of seasonal increases, particularly in vulnerable populations.
• Research: Enhancing the study of better treatment and new vaccines.

Final Word

Thus far, the increase in the cases of HMPV in India is not a new threat of a pandemic but rather the usual dynamics of the season. But, in the case of infants, older people and individuals with weakened immunity, HMPV may be severe.

UniqPath Lab is committed to precise diagnostics: macroscopic PCR panels, effective detection of HMPV, and assistance in the surveillance of public health. HMPV is controllable through keeping ourselves updated, establishing essential preventive measures, and prompt care-seeking processes, just like we have done with other common respiratory viruses.