Human Parainfluenza Type 4 Infections, Canada

During the fall/winter season of 2004–05, we found 9 respiratory specimens positive for human parainfluenza virus type 4 (HPIV-4) in our laboratory (43% of all HPIVs) from patients with mild to moderate respiratory illnesses. Sequencing studies identified 8 different HPIV-4A strains and 1 HPIV-4B strain.