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Dissecting Pandemic-Prone Viral Families... The Pneumoviridae

Pneumoviridae poses a largely underappreciated pandemic threat. Only 2 known viral family members infect humans: human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV, commonly RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV). These 2 endemic respiratory viruses confer substantial morbidity and mortality on the human species, particularly among older adults and young children and across different sociodemographic strata. If a zoonotic or yet undiscovered viral family member acquired the ability to efficiently infect humans, it could spread prolifically, especially when faced with little immunity

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 Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Metapneumovirus (Pnuemoviridae)

The Pneumoviridae family of viruses contains the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from the Orthopneumovirus genus and the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) from the Metapneumovirus genus. Both of these are enveloped, negative-sense RNA viruses characterized by a helical nucleocapsid. The G protein of these viruses facilitates the virus's attachment to respiratory epithelial cells, initiating infection, while the F protein triggers the fusion of infected host cells with adjacent uninfected cells, leading to the formation of multinucleated structures known as syncytia.

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ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Pneumoviridae

The family Pneumoviridae comprises large enveloped negative-sense RNA viruses. This taxon was formerly a subfamily within the Paramyxoviridae, but was reclassified in 2016 as a family with two genera, Orthopneumovirus and Metapneumovirus. Pneumoviruses infect a range of mammalian species, while some members of the Metapneumovirus genus may also infect birds. Some viruses are specific and pathogenic for humans, such as human respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus. There are no known vectors for pneumoviruses and transmission is thought to be primarily by aerosol droplets and contact.

Pneumoviruses: Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Metapneumovirus

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (MPV) are members of the family Pneumoviridae of the Mononegavirales order, comprising the nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses. These viruses were formerly in the Paramyxoviridae family. The Pneumoviridae family has two genera: Orthopneumovirus and Metapneumovirus. Orthopneumovirus includes human RSV, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and pneumonia virus of mice, and Metapneumovirus, which includes human MPV and avian metapneumovirus, sometimes called avian pneumovirus.