The fear of the Covid pandemic has become so deeply ingrained in our minds that if any infectious disease is mentioned loudly in the media or if its connection is linked to China, then people start panicking. This is also natural, because during the Covid pandemic, the pain of losing loved ones and yearning for health facilities comes to mind immediately. No one wants a similar scene to unfold again. We are mentioning this because these days a disease called HMPV i.e. Human Metapneumovirus is being discussed a lot and it is also being linked to China. So, what is HMPV and should we be afraid of it?
Children have nothing to do with traveling abroad
A three-month-old baby girl was admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru after suffering severe symptoms and tests revealed that she had HMPV infection. This girl was already suffering from bronchopneumonia. This was the first case of HMPV recently. The girl was treated and has now recovered. On January 3, another eight-month-old child was also found HMPV positive in the same hospital. This child was also suffering from bronchopneumonia and now he too is recovering. The special thing is that these two children had no connection with traveling abroad. This means that they got HMPV infection in the country itself. That means it has no connection with China or any other country.
After the alert from the Central Government, the State Governments also became active immediately.
Since these two cases were reported in Bengaluru, till now 11 cases of HMPV have been reported across the country. Of these, three have been found in Maharashtra, three in Kolkata, two in Chennai and one in Gujarat. After the Covid infection, the media is also more alert and all the cases of HMPV infection that have come to light are being taken seriously. After the alert from the Central Government, the state governments also became active immediately and separate isolation wards have been made in the hospitals.
No need to panic!
A complete alert has been issued regarding HMPV in the Mahakumbh being held in Prayagraj. However, along with this, all governments and experts have also made it clear that there is no need to panic or panic. This is not a new virus, but has been present in India and other parts of the world for a long time and is not as deadly as Covid. Former Chief Scientist of WHO, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan has said that only 3% of the cases of influenza-like diseases or Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) are of HMPV. That’s why there is no need to panic.
First of all, let us tell you that HMPV virus is an old virus, which is not completely new like the Covid virus. It has been detected in India since 2001 and according to some research, some evidence of it has been found in the 50s also. This is the reason why immunity has developed among our people regarding this.
HMPV virus is not new: Delhi AIIMS
Dr. Neeraj Nischal of Delhi AIIMS said that HMPV virus is not new, and we have immunity against it. But still small children, who get this infection for the first time, or elderly people, who have low immunity, or people who are already ill and whose immunity is weak, especially patients with serious lung or heart diseases. There is a high possibility of deteriorating health.
In most cases people recover on their own
Once HMPV infection occurs, the body develops immunity against it. After this, if infection occurs again, mild cold-like symptoms occur and in most cases people recover on their own. According to research, 10% to 12% of cases of respiratory diseases in children are caused by HMPV. In most cases the problem resolves on its own. However, children who get this infection. Among them, 5% to 16% children are at risk of diseases related to lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia.
What changed after the Covid pandemic?
After the Covid pandemic, the testing network for diseases in the country has improved. The scope of investigation has become wider and deeper, due to which early detection of diseases has become possible. If someone shows severe symptoms of HMPV virus, then a swab sample is taken from the nose or throat to detect it. Testing is done in the lab. However, if the HMPV infection is not severe, testing is not required. If the infection is severe, a bronchoscopy or X-ray may be needed to check for changes in the airways in the lungs. However, it is important to reiterate that there is no need to panic about the HMPV virus. If this infection causes any other i.e. secondary infection, then it becomes necessary to treat it.
There is no specific treatment for viral infection
Even if you are healthy and get infected with HMPV virus, you will recover quickly, because it is a common viral infection. There is no specific treatment for this viral infection nor is any antiviral medicine available. Treatment is done only on the basis of symptoms, which is called symptomatic treatment. For example, paracetamol can be taken for fever, taking steam and rest is beneficial in case of blocked nose.
Viruses are not actually alive. It is very interesting that viruses exist on the border between living and non-living things. They do not need food, hence they do not do the process of converting food into energy, which we call metabolism. They don’t even have any brain. These are just a few genes, such as a set of three or four genes, whereas bacteria have thousands of genes. Viruses can be of many types. When the virus does not find any host, that is, does not come in contact with any living being like human or animal, then it remains lifeless. It is simply genetic information, which is surrounded by some proteins. Even if the viruses are frozen, they do not suffer any harm, rather they remain even safer.
For this reason, these days many scientists are expressing apprehension that due to climate change, the permafrost that is melting on the Arctic Pole may release such viruses which can sometimes cause a major epidemic. . The reason for this is that our body will not have immunity against them. Permafrost is a layer that is frozen continuously for at least two years, i.e. at a temperature of zero degrees or less. This permafrost has been frozen for thousands of years in the Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas.
When a copy of the virus’s genome reaches a cell, its number starts increasing rapidly. Thousands of copies of a virus can be made in a few hours. Many times errors occur in the process of making a copy of the virus, due to which other types of viruses can also arise due to genetic changes. That means, due to mutation in the virus, new types of viruses can be formed. If the body develops immunity against one virus, then it has to be prepared to deal with other types of viruses. If he cannot cope, he may become a victim. As we saw during Covid, different strains of corona virus gradually started emerging.
Measures to prevent HMPV virus
Wash hands frequently with soapAvoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed handsAvoid close contact with people who have symptoms of illnessCover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezingStay away from public places if you have a fever, cough, or sneeze. Drink water and eat nutritious foodEnsure proper ventilation in spaces to reduce infectionIf you are sick, stay home and limit contact with others who are sick. But avoid shaking hands, and use tissue paper or handkerchief
10 most dangerous viruses
marburg virus
The world’s most dangerous virus is the Marburg virus, which is named after a beautiful town situated on the banks of the Laan river, a tributary of the Rhine river in Germany. The special thing is that this town has nothing to do with the disease. This is a type of hemorrhagic fever virus. In hemorrhagic fever, bleeding occurs from body parts and veins. That means blood starts leaking and this can cause a lot of damage to the organs. Marburg virus causes body cramps and bleeding from mucosal membranes such as inside the nose, mouth, lips etc. Skin and body parts may also be damaged. The probability of death in this virus is up to 90%.
ebola virus
Ebola virus is also very dangerous and it has five strains. That means it is of five types. Each strain is named after a different region of Africa, such as Zaire, Sudan, Tay Forest, Bundibugyo and Reston. The Zaire Ebola virus is the most deadly, resulting in death in 90% of cases. Strains of this virus are found in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. According to scientists, this virus probably came to humans from flying fox.
Hantavirus
Many types of viruses also come under Hantavirus. It is named after a river. During the Korean War in 1950, many American soldiers got infected with Hantavirus near this river. It also has many symptoms, like lung disease, fever and kidney failure.
bird flu virus
Bird flu virus has been in the news a lot and many cases of it have been reported in India also. There are many types of it and the death rate in bird flu is up to 70%. One strain of bird flu, H5N1, has been the most discussed, although the risk of infection with it is very low. This infection can occur only when poultry infected with H5N1, i.e. chickens or ducks, come in direct contact with a human. This is the reason why many cases of this are seen in Asian countries, where people live very close to chickens and ducks.
lassa virus
The first infection of this virus was with a nurse from Nigeria. This virus is spread by rats, but it has not spread much and has been limited to a specific area, that is, it has been endemic, especially in Western Africa. Scientists estimate that this Lassa virus is found in 15 percent of rats in West Africa.
hunin virus
This virus is related to hemorrhagic fever of Argentina. Patients infected with Hunin virus may have swelling in their body, bleeding from the skin, and sepsis. This means that the body’s immune system may overreact to infection, leading to organ failure and tissue damage. The problem with Hunin virus infection is that its symptoms are so common that it can be difficult to detect the disease in the beginning.
Crimea-Congo Fever
Crimean Congo fever is spread by ticks. Its symptoms are similar to Ebola and Marburg viruses. In the initial days of infection, there may be pin-sized bleeding on the patient’s face and mouth.
matchpo virus
This virus is related to Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, also known as black typhus. Infection with Matchpo virus causes high fever and along with it there is heavy bleeding in the body. It also spreads like Hunin virus. This virus can spread from one person to another and often lives in the bodies of rats.
Kiyasanur Forest Virus
In 1955, this virus was found for the first time in the forests of the south-west coastal areas of India. It is spread by ticks. But according to scientists, it is difficult to find out in which animal this virus lives. It is believed that rats, birds and wild pigs can be its hosts. Patients infected with Kiyasanur Forest Virus have high fever. Along with this, there is severe headache and muscle pain, which can also lead to bleeding.
dengue fever
The fear of dengue fever also remains constant and people in India are not unaware of it. It is spread by mosquitoes, which live in clean water. Every year 5 to 10 crore people in the world are affected by dengue. Dengue fever is found in many countries of Asia including India. Two billion people in the world are constantly at risk of dengue.
