In the Chinese provinces of Shandong and Henan, more than thirty-dozen people have been infected with a recently discovered virus.
According to a story from Bloomberg on Wednesday, the virus is known as Langya Henipavirus, or LayV, and it is related to the severe Nipah and Hendra viruses.
According to a research that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, “Researchers in China found a new henipavirus related with a febrile human ailment” (NEJM).
Shrews were also infected with this virus.
There is currently no proof that the disease can transfer from person to person.
In eastern China, researchers were able to identify feverish persons who had recently been exposed to animals. Thanks to a system for early detection.
The majority of the patients were farmers, and they also expressed fatigue, coughing, appetite loss, and aches.
The researchers found that only LayV infections were present in 26 of the 35 individuals.
A couple of the individuals also had abnormal blood cells and signs of liver and kidney damage. But everyone survived.
The study showed that tests found the virus in 27% of shrews, a known vector for closely related henipaviruses, indicating that the small, hairy animals may serve as a natural reservoir.
There was no proof that they had been in close proximity to one another or shared an exposure history, which suggests that human infection may be sporadic, according to the researchers.
The Taiwanese Centers for Disease Control announced that they are aware of the problem and will start performing virus screenings.
More than 200 shrews were examined by researchers, and they found the LayV viral RNA in them, indicating that they may act as the virus’s natural reservoir.
The virus was also discovered in 5% of dogs and 2% of domestic goats, according to The Guardian.
What do we know about LayV, the Langya Henipavirus?
It is believed that LayV, a virus linked to the dangerous Nipah and Hendra viruses, entered humans through a process called zoonosis.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, zoonotic infections account for more than six out of every ten infectious diseases that affect people.
The single-stranded RNA genome of the Henipavirus genus, of which Langya is a part, has a negative orientation. The virus is closely related to the Mojiang virus, which is found in southern China.
There is presently no immunization against henpaviruses. Doctors and other medical professionals can only provide supportive care as a type of treatment for the varied symptoms.
According to the researchers from Beijing, Singapore, and Australia, additional study is required to fully understand the virus.