Virus
Human metapneumovirus
RSV-like bronchiolitis and pneumonia
HYOO-mun MET-uh-noo-moh-VY-rus
High-yield clue
An RSV-like winter/spring bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children and elderly patients points to human metapneumovirus.
Overview
An enveloped negative-sense RNA virus in family Pneumoviridae that causes lower respiratory infection closely resembling RSV, important as a common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in young children and older adults.
Classification
- RNA virus
- Negative-sense single-stranded RNA
- Enveloped
- Family Pneumoviridae, genus Metapneumovirus
Lab & identification clues
- Pneumoviridae classification concept
- Multiplex respiratory PCR detection vocabulary
- Nasopharyngeal sampling concept
- Clinical overlap with RSV vocabulary
Associations
- Bronchiolitis and pneumonia in young children
- Lower respiratory disease in the elderly and immunocompromised
- Late-winter to spring seasonality
- Respiratory-droplet and contact spread
Commonly confused with
- Respiratory syncytial virus
- Parainfluenza virus
Your notes
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.