By Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist

Anne Murray sang Everything Old Is New Again on episode 415 of The Muppet Show, which aired on February 1, 1980 in the United Kingdom and March 10, 1980 in New York City.  Anne sings while different Muppet characters including Scooter are on skateboards going in and out of the sketch.  

In 1987, Anne Murray was the first female country artist to earn triple platinum for an album.  Anne is from Canada and first started recording her music in 1967.  She retired in 2008 and has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.

Murray’s song is a good descriptor for the current news about the hMPV virus.  Why?

The human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is similar to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and most of us have been exposed to hMPV before the age of 5. Researchers have evaluated blood samples and have shown evidence of past infections. As with other viruses, we can get sick from this virus more than once. The hMPV virus is most likely to cause symptoms in infants, the elderly and those individuals with a weak immune system. 

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hMPV is spread from respiratory droplets being put in the air by infected individuals. Like other viruses, hMPV spreads from one person to another with close contact.  It is more common in cold weather states and has an annual infection season like the flu.  

Currently, there is an increase in hMPV cases in the colder northern provinces of China as well as 2 colder regions in the United States.  The largest increases in cases have been seen in the Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska region followed by the Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho region.  A downward trend in cases has been seen in the Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island and Virginia region.

As the Cleveland Clinic points out, it can be hard to really know how many cases are circulating because hMPV is not a routine test done unless a patient is hospitalized. Outpatient diagnostic kits are available for other viruses such as RSV, influenza A and influenza B (flu) and COVID-19, but not for hMPV

The symptoms for an hMPV infection often mimic other viral infections including the common cold.  Signs and symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, nasal congestion and fever.  The virus causes an inflammation of the lung tissue resulting in irritation of airways and possible pneumonia. 

There is no specific vaccine for hMPV, but early evidence suggests there is some protection from a hMPV illness with the RSV vaccine since the viruses are both in the Pneumoviridae family.  Scientists are working on developing a vaccine for hMPV.  

There is not a specific treatment for hMPV other than controlling the symptoms. Ask your healthcare provider for recommendations for fever reducing agents such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and medications to help with cough and nasal stuffiness. 

It is best to individually treat bothersome symptoms with specific medications.  It may seem more convenient sometimes to just pick one multi-ingredient product rather than having to take 2 or 3 different medications.  The multi-symptom medications can overmedicate on something you do not have and under medicate something you do have. Let your healthcare professional know your symptoms, so they can recommend the best solutions for you. 

After the virus has cleared the body, some individuals may still experience coughing or wheezing as a residual from the inflammation in the lungs. If this happens, it may take a prescription drug to really help calm the cough or wheezing. Often a medication inhaler can be prescribed to reduce the inflammation.  

If you have severe symptoms or difficulty breathing, seek out emergency or urgent care.  

hMPV may be new in the news, but everything old can be new again!

For more information, contact ONU HealthWise Pharmacy at 419-722-3784. ONU HealthWise offers the shingles vaccine along with flu, COVID-19 and other vaccinations. The pharmacy is open 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 2:00-6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. on Saturdays.