Amid the growing concern over Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)cases in India, state governments have intensified their safety measures. After cases were reported in Bengaluru, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, two cases in Chennai, three in Kolkata, and three cases in Maharashtra have been reported. This takes the total tally of the virus to 11 on Wednesday.?
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a virus that usually causes symptoms that are similar to a common cold. The virus often causes upper respiratory infections but can also sometimes cause lower respiratory infections like pneumonia, asthma flare-ups, and more.?
While the concerns regarding the HMPV virus are mounting, some basic questions come to our minds, including how this virus can be prevented, whether antibiotics work against the virus and more. Let¡¯s understand from experts.?
HMPV belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and causes respiratory illnesses such as bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and upper respiratory tract infections.¡°Antibiotics are ineffective against human metapneumovirus (HMPV) because it is a viral infection, not a bacterial one,¡± points out Dr. Neha Gupta, Consultant-Internal Medicine, Maharaja Agrasen Hospital.
HMPV virus primarily affects children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. Dr. Gupta adds, ¡°Antibiotics target bacteria by interfering with their cell walls, protein synthesis, or DNA replication, but these mechanisms do not apply to viruses, which lack the structures and processes that antibiotics affect.¡±
HMPV virus replicates inside host cells by using the cell¡¯s machinery and making it resistant to antibiotics. Dr. Shrey Srivastava, an internal medicine expert at Sharda Hospital, says, ¡°Taking antibiotics without a bacterial infection is like misusing antibiotics for viral infections like the HMPV virus. This can contribute to antibiotic resistance, a global health challenge.¡±
¡°Oversuing of antibiotics allows the bacteria to develop resistance and reduces the effectiveness of the important drugs used for treating bacterial infections. However, sometimes pulmonary diseases of viral origin are followed by the manifestation of secondary bacterial infections, which leads to clinical complications and serious diseases,¡± adds Dr. Srivastava.?
To protect yourself in such conditions, you must practice good hygiene like washing your hands, avoiding close contact with infected people, and disinfecting surfaces.
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