HMPV warning sign as doctor says check your skin for unusual change
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Experts have issued a warning over a HMPV symptom which appears on the skin, with cases of the virus surging across the globe. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001. The flu-like virus is spread through contact with an infected person or contaminated surface, and leads to a mild infection of the upper respiratory tract. On very rare occasions it can be fatal, particularly in very young children or people with compromised immune systems.
HMPV does sometimes present one symptom that sets it apart from cold or flu - a rash. Studies from Dutch researchers into cases of HMPV discovered that rashes on the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and back are some common signs of infection. A US study found 5% to 10% of children with HMPV develop a rash.
As well as a rash, one Italian study identified seizures and vomiting as symptoms of HMPV. Other symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, a sore throat and a fever that lasts for five days. Professor John Tregoning, an expert in vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, said: "It is part of the cocktail of winter viruses that we are exposed to and, like other viruses, it will transmit in coughs, sneezes and in droplets." Professor Paul Griffin, director of infectious diseases at Mater Health Services in Brisbane, said: "It certainly can and does cause severe disease.".
