A few days ago, a scientific team published information about the discovery in humans of 35 infections with a new virus of animal origin in two provinces of China, which spread over time. belongs to the genre Genipavirusbut so far very little is known about it. Is it transmitted between people? Where did it come from? Is there a reason for concern?
Raul Rivas Gonzalez, professor of microbiology at the University of Salamanca (central west of Spain), answered these and other questions. EFE; In his opinion, this is a new virus that needs to be monitored because of its history – there are other henipaviruses with a variety of clinical manifestations for which there is more data – “we should not sound the alarm, but we should be warned.”
“There are reasons to remain vigilant,” concluded the researcher, who argued that there are still too many unanswered questions about this virus. This is what is known at the moment.
How did the world know about this virus?
August 4 scientific journal New England Journal of Medicine published a study led by scientists from various Chinese institutions that described the infection of at least 35 people with a new type of henipavirus. mass media China and the rest of the world repeated a few days later.
“The sample of 35 patients is very small, so we have to be careful with our conclusions. However, it is likely that there were more infected people today,” Rivas said.
Scientists say infections have occurred in two provinces, Henan and Shandong. Langya (Lay V)what was it called virushas infected 35 people since 2018. None of the cases have been described as serious and none appear to have been linked, so human-to-human transmission appears to be ruled out today.
The research team identified him while monitoring patients in three hospitals between April 2018 and August 2021; those who had a fever were recruited for the study, collects the journal Nature in its news section.
What are genipaviruses?
This is a well-known genus of RNA-containing viruses. Genipaviruses belong to the family paramyxovirus viruseswhich includes measles, mumps, and many respiratory viruses that affect humans.
The first Genipavirus discovered Hendra (1994, Australia) and Nipah (1999, Malaysia). They, Rivas explains, have a high human mortality rate, “so every time a new one is discovered, we have to be vigilant because of this history.”
In Hendra, most infections result from contact with horses, which act as the definitive host of the virus, which in turn becomes infected with grass or fruit that has been infected by bats.
In Nipah, which is transmitted to humans mainly from bat-infected bats and pigs, and for which cases of human infection have been described, mortality in some outbreaks was as high as 75%.
Where did it come from?
To determine a possible animal origin, the researchers analyzed goats, dogs, pigs and cows, as well as 25 species of small wild animals. The RNA of the virus was found, according to a Spanish researcher, mainly in shrews (27%).
This suggests that these insectivorous mammals may be a natural reservoir, unlike the rest of the henipaviruses.
“We now know that a new protagonist has entered the playing field and we can look for him,” thanks to the fact that his genome has been sequenced and published.
How is it transmitted and what are the symptoms?
Rivas explained that Genipavirus”and it is possible that this new one too” are transmitted mainly by contaminated fluids – saliva, blood, urine, and also feces -.
Symptoms caused by LayV are varied and include fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headache, cough, or impaired liver and kidney function.
There is no specific treatment for this type of zoonotic virus. Hendra has a vaccine for horses, and a couple of human vaccines are being developed for Nipah, in addition to monoclonal antibody treatments, all of which are still in the experimental phase. (EFE)
Source: RPP
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