Podcast Series: hMPV – A Common Yet Unknown Respiratory Threat

Most deaths from respiratory viruses occur in older adults, with the risk of infection and adverse consequences increasing drastically with advancing age. (1) Age-related deterioration of the immune system, termed immunosenescence, are directly related to the high morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases, particularly respiratory tract infections. (2) Additionally, as the global population ages, the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease and diabetes mellitus, increases, presenting co-morbidities that increase risk of infectious diseases for older adults.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a virus that may cause respiratory tract infections, belonging to the same family of viruses as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). (3) Symptoms of hMPV infections are not dissimilar to many other respiratory diseases that include cough, nasal congestion, fever, sore throat, and wheezing. (4) In more serious cases, hMPV may cause more severe respiratory disease, exacerbation of other chronic conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma (5,6), and result in hospitalization.

In this 3-part podcast series, “hMPV – A Common Yet Unknown Respiratory Threat”, the IFA aims to raise awareness of hMPV as a common respiratory disease. The series will feature scientists, clinicians and thought leaders, and the voices of older people and groups representing those most at risk of serious disease to promote comprehensive information on hMPV.

Join us in learning more about and raising awareness of Human metapneumovirus (hMPV)!

IFA would like to thank Sanofi Global for supporting this series.

The episodes

Tune in to the latest episodes and dive deep into engaging conversations!

In episode one, an introduction and overview of hMPV is provided. The episode will address frequently asked questions, including information regarding common symptoms, risk factors for serious illness, and burden amongst older adults and other key groups.

Episode two will share a person-centred lens on hMPV, recognizing that stories often make the greatest impact in promoting awareness. The episode will feature an interview with a patient group and health care provider to discuss their experiences, covering symptoms, concerns, and the long-term effects of the disease.

To conclude the series, a public health perspective on hMPV will be provided. This episode will include information regarding the cumulative burden of this disease and how the rise of hMPV infections is currently being addressed. Current strides in research and development to prevent disease, and key calls to action to improve awareness, care and prevention of hMPV, will also be addressed in this episode.

Meet the speakers

Peter Openshaw MD PhD CBE is Professor of Experimental Medicine at Imperial College London, UK.

Peter is a physician at St Mary’s Paddington and an academic at Imperial College London. He has published over 400 publications on viral lung infections, vaccines and pandemics. He’s served on many advisory boards, grant committees and national/international scientific advisory boards and has worked on vaccines against lung infections.

He was President of the British Society for Immunology from 2013 to 2018, rebuilding governance structures and appointing a new senior management team. He has also been a Consul at Imperial for many years, promoting high standards of ethics in science. He’s well known for media work during the swine flu and COVID pandemics.

Brian Labus, Ph.D., MPH is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health.

He is an infectious disease epidemiologist with 24 years of experience in field epidemiology, outbreak investigation, and public health informatics. From 2020 through 2023, he worked extensively on COVID-19 response activities, serving on former Nevada Governor Sisolak’s Medical Advisory Team, advising various community organizations and businesses, leading a team of over 200 student contact tracers, and participating in various aspects of UNLV’s COVID-19 response. He regularly is interviewed by local, national, and international print and video outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Forbes, and National Public Radio, and has been interviewed over 1,200 times on a variety of infectious disease topics, including respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, influenza and Legionella, Mpox, Naegleria, and foodborne illness.

Prior to joining the faculty, Labus worked in local public health, conducting outbreak investigations, disease surveillance, and implementing public health informatics systems. Most significantly, he led a two-year investigation into the largest outbreak of healthcare-acquired hepatitis C in United States history when over 60,000 people were exposed to bloodborne pathogens because of unsafe injection practices at an endoscopy center.

Resources

Please come back soon.

References

United Nations. Global Issues: Ageing [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 6]. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/ageing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory Viruses and Older Adults [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Sep 3]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/risk-factors/older-adults.html
Patel TA, Jain B, Raifman J. Revamping Public Health Systems: Lessons Learned From the Tripledemic. Am J Prev Med [Internet]. 2024 Jan 1 [cited 2024 Jun 6];66(1):185–8. Available from: http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749379723003392/fulltext
Falsey AR, Erdman D, Anderson LJ, Walsh EE. Human metapneumovirus infections in young and elderly adults. J Infect Dis [Internet]. 2003 Mar 1 [cited 2024 Jun 6];187(5):785–90. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12599052/