2021 年 95 巻 6 号 p. 396-400
We report a case series of adult-onset human metapneumovirus (hMPV) pneumonia, which was difficult to distinguish from SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and was thought to have spread among healthy adults in the community. [Case 1] A 60-year-old man visited the hospital complaining of cough and fever. Chest CT showed bilateral multiple ground-glass opacities, suggestive of atypical pneumonia, including COVID-19. The PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 was negative, and the additionally performed FilmArray respiratory panel test revealed a positive result for hMPV. [Case 2] A 60-year-old man who was a colleague of Case 1 visited the hospital complaining of cough, runny nose, headache, and fever. He was diagnosed as having an upper respiratory tract infection without performing any rapid antigen tests. [Case 3] A 60-year-old woman who was the wife of Case 2 visited the hospital complaining of cough and fever. Chest CT showed ground-glass opacities and multiple nodular shadows, and the rapid antigen test result for hMPV was positive. Based on the epidemiological association and similarity of symptoms, all the three cases were considered as having hMPV infection. Case 1 and Case 2 were suspected of having become infected at work, and Case 3 was suspected to have been transmitted from Case 2 in the home. In summary, careful differential diagnosis between hMPV and SARS-CoV-2 is required, especially during epidemics of hMPV in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic era.