Novel Langya henipavirus
- Category
Science & Technology
- Published
19th Aug, 2022
-
Context
Cases of a novel Langya henipavirus (LayV) have been reported in Shandong and Henan provinces of China.
About
About novel Langya henipavirus (LayV):
- The new type of Henipavirus (also named Langya henipavirus, LayV) was found in throat swab samples from febrile patients in eastern China.
- This newly discovered Henipavirus may have come from animals, is associated with some febrile cases.
- Symptoms: The infected people have symptoms including fever, fatigue, cough, anorexia, myalgia, and nausea.
- Treatment: There is currently no vaccine or treatment for Henipavirus and the only treatment is supportive care to manage complications.
- Other similar virus:
- Nipah and Hendra virus also belong to the same genus, henipavirus, from the Paramyxoviridae family.
- Paramyxoviridae is a family of single-stranded Ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses that cause different types of viral infections.
- These viruses are found in bats, rodents and shrews and are known to infect humans and potentially cause fatal diseases.
- Around 25 small wild animals were also screened and the virus was also found in animals like goats and dogs.
What is Zoonosis?
- Zoonotic diseases originate in animals and can spread to humans.
- Infections occur through bites or contact with the infected animal’s bodily fluids.
- Virus, bacteria, fungi, prions or parasites cause zoonosis.
- Rabies, Ebola, certain strains of Swine flu, leptospirosis, brucellosis, anthrax, Zika and Ebola viruses, rickettsioses, plague, chikungunya, dengue and Japanese encephalitis, are the most notorious zoonotic diseases.
Origin of World Zoonosis Day
- World Zoonosis Day was instituted on 6 July 1885 to educate and raise awareness about zoonotic diseases that can transmit from animals to humans.
- It commemorates French biologist Louis Pasteur, who administered the first dose of the first vaccine against rabies.
