Background: Data on human metapneumovirus (HMPV)-associated severe acute respiratory illness (SARI)
are limited in settings with high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection prevalence.
Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics and seasonality (all sites), and incidence (Soweto only) of
HMPV-associated SARI among children and adults.
Study design: Active, prospective, hospital-based, sentinel surveillance for patients hospitalised with SARI
was conducted at four sites in South Africa from February 2009–December 2013. Upper respiratory tract
samples were tested by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for HMPV and other respiratory
viruses. Incidence of hospitalisation, stratified by age and HIV-infection status, was calculated
for one hospital with population denominators