As head of one of the world’s only dedicated research labs focused on human metapneumovirus, John Williams used to spend most of his time attempting to convince skeptical doctors the virus was real. So when the recent outbreak in northern China was met with widespread alarm, Williams allowed himself a wry smile. The forgotten burden of public health was finally being taken seriously.
Human metapneumovirus, or hMPV, was first identified 24 years ago by a group of Dutch scientists seeking to better characterize viruses responsible for acute respiratory infections. But in the years since, wider awareness of hMPV has remained remarkably low, despite its being one of many endemic respiratory