Human metapneumovirus genotypes and severity of disease in young children (n = 100) during a 7‐year study in Dijon hospital, France

Human metapneumovirus is a cause of respiratory tract infections at all ages. Our objectives were to analyze the distribution of the A and B genotypes over 7 years in Dijon and to investigate a possible association between hMPV genotypes and disease severity. During 2002–2009, we genotyped the 100 isolates from children <3 years old with hMPV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a change in the distribution of hMPV genotype over the years. Severity was then measured by detailed clinical evaluation. The hospitalization rate was greater when genotype B was involved 72.5% versus 53.3% ( P  = 0.054). Those infected with genotype B tended to have a higher clinical score, as measured by Vicente et al. 2006 ( P  = 0.07). We showed that, although clinical severity is not clearly associated with hMPV genotype in this study, pathological signs on chest X‐ray were observed more often in B subgroup ( P  < 0.01). J. Med. Virol. 82:1782–1789, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.