first report of respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus co-infection in a 2-year-old kawasaki patient in iran

background: respiratory virus infections in children are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. methods : a total of 897 clinical specimens were collected from february 2007 to january 2008 and transported to the na­tional influenza center. two hundred and two samples belonged to children under the age of six from 897 specimens, de­scribed above, were selected. then they were tested for influenza virus types and subtypes by real time pcr assay subse­quently, the specimens were tested for rsv and hmpv by hemi-nested multiplex pcr and parainfluenza viruses type 1-4 by hemi-nested multiplex pcr and adenovirus by hemi-nested pcr. results: the throat swab was taken from the kawasaki case with the history of chicken`s contact. the specimen was tested for all influenza subtypes especially h5n1 and the results were negative. meanwhile pcr was done for screening of other respira­tory viruses that results came out positive for rsv and hmpv. conclusion : in the present study, we demonstrated the possibility to detect dual infection caused by rsv and hmpv, but be­cause of the extravagant pattern of this case, more investigation is suggested specially on kawasaki patients.