Baltimore emergency doctor explains how to protect your family from HMPV

Human metapneumovirus similar to RSV, flu, COVID-19

Human metapneumovirus similar to RSV, flu, COVID-19

HAS A LOOK AT WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. THERE’S NO TREATMENT OR VACCINE FOR THE MPV VIRUS, AND SOME HAVE CALLED IT THE MOST IMPORTANT VIRUS. MANY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE REASON WHY I THINK IT’S KIND OF LATE TO THE GAME IN TERMS OF PUBLICITY IS BECAUSE WE JUST DON’T TEST FOR A LOT OF THESE VIRUSES. DIANE DAVISON CAME DOWN WITH THE VIRUS IN APRIL AFTER A FAMILY EVENT. SHE’S NOT QUITE BACK TO HERSELF, SO SHE SPOKE TO US ON THE PHONE. DR. GOLDSTEIN SAYS IN MANY CASES, THE VIRUS IS MILD. IT CAN BE SEVERE IN THE EXTREMES OF AGES, VERY YOUNG, THE VERY OLD, AND PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE AND ALSO PEOPLE WITH ANYTHING THAT COMPROMISES THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM. IT COULD BECOME A POTENTIALLY DEADLY ILLNESS. DAVISON IS IMMUNO COMPROMISED. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS SEVERE ALLERGIES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE POST NASAL DRIP AT LIKE 100 TIMES POURING OUT OF MY NOSE. IT WOULDN’T STOP DOWN THE BACK OF MY THROAT INTO MY LUNGS AND AFTER A DAY OR SO, I GOT A HIGH FEVER. DAVISON TOOK SEVERAL COVID TESTS, A CHEST X-RAY AND CAT SCAN. THEY WERE ALL NEGATIVE. FINALLY, WHEN THE COUGH WAS JUST I MEAN, I COULDN’T TALK. I COULD NOT TALK. I COULD NOT. COULD BARELY BREATHE. I WAS LIVING ON MEN’S THE HIGHEST LEVEL MENTHOL COUGH DROPS THAT THERE WERE BECAUSE IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD STOP ME FROM COUGHING. SHE WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED WITH NPV AFTER THE HOSPITAL TESTED HER FOR THE VIRUS, SOMETHING GOLDSTEIN SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF. MOST CLINICS AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, FRANKLY, DON’T HAVE EXTENDED VIRAL TESTING. THE BIGGER ACADEMIC CENTERS AND THE SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC CENTERS OFTEN DO. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF PLACES THAT YOU WOULD SHOW UP WITH, THESE SYMPTOMS MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO TEST SPECIFICALLY FOR THE VIRUS. VERY OFTEN SYMPTOMS ARE LIKE RSV, THE FLU AND COVID. HE SAYS YOU SHOULD DO WHAT YOU STARTED DURING COVID MASK IN LARGE GATHERINGS, WASH HANDS AND SURFACES. DAVISON AGREES. BE SMART ABOUT THINGS, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS SICK, DON’T JUST GO AND KISS THEM AND HUG THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YO

Baltimore emergency doctor explains how to protect your family from HMPV

Human metapneumovirus similar to RSV, flu, COVID-19

Some in the medical community are calling human metapneumovirus the most important virus many have never heard of.| RELATED: Doctors say this is the most important virus you've never heard ofDiscovered in 2001, HMPV can cause upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages, especially young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. There are no vaccines or treatments for HMPV.Cases of HMPV spiked this spring, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's respiratory virus surveillance systems.Dr. Mark Goldstein, director of emergency medicine at Sinai Hospital in northwest Baltimore, said that in many cases, the virus is mild."It can be severe in the extremes of ages, the very young, the very old people with chronic lung disease and also people with any compromises to their immune system. It can become a potentially deadly illness," Goldstein said.| RELATED: The best air purifiers to fight off dust, virus and allergens year-roundDiane Davison, who is immunocompromised, came down with the virus in April after a family event."At first, I thought it was severe allergies. It was like post-nasal drip 100 times pouring out my nose, back down my throat, into my lungs. After a day or so, I got a high fever," Davison said.Davison took several COVID-19 tests, a chest X-ray and CAT scan, which were all negative."Finally, when the cough was (so bad that) I could not could barely breathe, I was living on menthol cough drops, the only things that would stop the cough," Davison said.She was finally diagnosed with HMPV after the hospital tested her for the virus.| RELATED: Studies: Vitamin D won't protect you from COVID-19 or respiratory infectionsGoldstein said there needs to be more testing."The reason why I think it's late to the game in terms of publicity is because we just don't test for a lot of these viruses," Goldstein said. "Most clinic and emergency departments don't have extended viral testing; The bigger academic centers and pediatric centers often do. The majority of places you show up to may not be able to specifically test for the virus."Symptoms are often similar to the respiratory syncytial virus, the flu and COVID-19. Goldstein said people should do what they did during COVID-19: Wear a face mask in large gatherings, wash hands frequently and wash surfaces.Davison agrees."Be smart," she said. "If somebody's sick, don't kiss and hug them if you know they're sick."

BALTIMORE —

Some in the medical community are calling human metapneumovirus the most important virus many have never heard of.

Discovered in 2001, HMPV can cause upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages, especially young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. There are no vaccines or treatments for HMPV.

Cases of HMPV spiked this spring, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's respiratory virus surveillance systems.

Dr. Mark Goldstein, director of emergency medicine at Sinai Hospital in northwest Baltimore, said that in many cases, the virus is mild.

"It can be severe in the extremes of ages, the very young, the very old people with chronic lung disease and also people with any compromises to their immune system. It can become a potentially deadly illness," Goldstein said.

Diane Davison, who is immunocompromised, came down with the virus in April after a family event.

"At first, I thought it was severe allergies. It was like post-nasal drip 100 times pouring out my nose, back down my throat, into my lungs. After a day or so, I got a high fever," Davison said.

Davison took several COVID-19 tests, a chest X-ray and CAT scan, which were all negative.

"Finally, when the cough was (so bad that) I could not could barely breathe, I was living on menthol cough drops, the only things that would stop the cough," Davison said.

She was finally diagnosed with HMPV after the hospital tested her for the virus.

Goldstein said there needs to be more testing.

"The reason why I think it's late to the game in terms of publicity is because we just don't test for a lot of these viruses," Goldstein said. "Most clinic and emergency departments don't have extended viral testing; The bigger academic centers and pediatric centers often do. The majority of places you show up to may not be able to specifically test for the virus."

Symptoms are often similar to the respiratory syncytial virus, the flu and COVID-19. Goldstein said people should do what they did during COVID-19: Wear a face mask in large gatherings, wash hands frequently and wash surfaces.

Davison agrees.

"Be smart," she said. "If somebody's sick, don't kiss and hug them if you know they're sick."

Baltimore emergency doctor explains how to protect your family from HMPV

Human metapneumovirus similar to RSV, flu, COVID-19

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