Concerns are mounting among people across India with the cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) gradually rising in the country following the outbreak in China, scaring them of similar occurrence during Covid-19 pandemic about five years ago.

India, as of January 7, has seven confirmed cases of HMPV all among children between two months to 14 years.

Authorities have increased surveillance and health officials across India have been adhering to all possible measures to contain the spread of HMPV, a flu-like respiratory illness that has overwhelmed hospitals across China.

Amid this many are drawing comparisons between HMPV and Covid due to similarities in symptoms between the two viruses. This has also raised a pertinent question among several people who are curious to know that since the symptoms of coronavirus and HMPV are akin, can the prevailing Covid vaccines shield them against HMPV?

To begin with, one must know that HMPV is not a new virus. The symptoms are quite similar to those of the influenza virus.

Also, at present there is no vaccine or specific treatment for HMPV.

“Most respiratory infections cause problems such as difficulty breathing, chest tightness, rib movement, and a runny nose. Many symptoms of coronavirus are also similar, leading some people to believe HMPV and coronavirus are the same,” a report by News18 quoted Dr Sunit Kumar Singh, Director and Senior Virologist of Dr Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, New Delhi as saying.

“However, SARS-CoV-2 and HMPV belong to different virus families and have distinct antigenic properties. Therefore, the coronavirus vaccine may not offer protection against HMPV,” Dr Singh said.

The doctor further explained that most vaccines utilise viral proteins to elicit an antibody response in the body. Considering viral proteins differ, a vaccine developed for one virus is unlikely to be effective against another. Despite potential similarities, cross-protection cannot be assumed.

Though the testing of HMPV is available in India, a concerning trait of this virus is its RNA-based genome, which is prone to rapid mutations. As per the doctor, persistent mutations could lead to a surge in infections, possibly making the situation difficult to control.

Meanwhile, it is still not confirmed if the HMPV infecting people in China is similar to the one infecting people in India. Analysing genome sequencing data of the virus in China would let researchers understand the similarities as well as differences between the HMPV strains present in China and India.

Also, genome sequencing will help understand why HMPV cases are surging in China.

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