METAPNEUMOVIRUS INFECTIONS OF CHILDREN IN INDIA

描述（由研究者提供）：人偏肺病毒（hMPV）是一种新发现的急性呼吸道感染（ARI）的病毒性病原体。没有关于hMPV在印度或任何其他发展中国家的作用的描述。拟议的工作将检验hMPV是印度急性呼吸道感染负担的一个重要因素的假设。印度每年有250万5岁以下儿童死亡。其中多达50万人死于急性呼吸道感染。拟议的研究是探索性的，因为没有关于印度hMPV对ARI的贡献的数据。对这些调查的支持将在这个世界上人口第二多的国家发展研究人乳头状病毒的能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a newly described viral pathogen of acute respiratory infection (ARI). There are no descriptions of the role of hMPV in India or any other developing country. The proposed work will test the hypothesis that hMPV is an important contributor to the burden of ARI in India. India has 2.5 million deaths per year among children less than 5 years of age. ARI causes as many as 0.5 million of these deaths. The proposed studies are exploratory as there are no data on the contribution of hMPV to ARI in India. Support for these investigations will develop capacity for the study of hMPV in the second most populous country in the world. Aim 1. Determine the proportion of ARI associated with hMPV in a developing country, India. Children with ARI and ALRI seen in a large urban teaching hospital in New Delhi will be enrolled in the study. The clinical spectrum of disease will be described. Nasopharyngeal samples will be tested for the presence of hMPV by RT-PCR and cell culture. Aim 2. Develop techniques for molecular detection and genetic characterization of hMPV from India. Real-time RT-PCR detection will be used to improve the sensitivity of detection of hMPV. Nucleotide sequences for regions of the N, F, and G genes of hMPV will be determined and compared among Indian hMPV and viruses from other countries. These data for will help define the global epidemiology of hMPV and provide critical information relevant to hMPV diagnostic assay and vaccine development for India. Aim 3. Determine the prevalence of antibodies to hMPV among different age groups at a large urban teaching hospital in India. No data are available as to prevalence of antibodies to hPMV in developing countries. Assays for detection of hMPV antibodies will be developed and seroprevalence defined.