 
Microbe Talk: cutting-edge research uncovered
Find out more about new research published in SGM's four journals from the scientists themselves. Every month we will be talking to the author of a research paper in Microbiology, Journal of General Virology, Journal of Medical Microbiology or International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
December 2008: Common cold virus came from birds
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In this episode we talk to Professor Dr Ron Fouchier from ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands about a virus that causes cold-like symptoms in humans that originated in birds and may have crossed the species barrier around 200 years ago.
Human metapneumovirus is related to the respiratory syncytial virus, measles, mumps and parainfluenza viruses. It infects people of all ages but is most common in children under five. Symptoms include runny nose, cough, sore throat and fever. Infection can also lead to more severe illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, which can result in hospitalisation, especially in infants and immunocompromised patients. HMPV infection is most common during the winter and it is believed to cause up to 10% of respiratory illnesses in children.
Metapneumoviruses have high evolutionary rates, similar to those of other RNA viruses such as influenza, hepatitis C and SARS. By understanding the evolution and emergence of these viruses the scientists hope to develop ways of monitoring and predicting the emergence of new pathogenic viruses.
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Dr Ron Fouchier’s paper “Evolutionary dynamics of human and avian metapneumoviruses” was published in the December issue of the Society for General Microbiology’s Journal of General Virology volume 89 pages 2933-2942.
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Journal of General Virology (JGV), a dynamic journal at the forefront of virology today, attracts an international audience and publishes over 3500 pages of rigorously peer-reviewed, high-calibre research from around the world.
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