JawaPos.com – A total of 35 people were found to have contracted the disease from Langya Henipavirus in 2 provinces in China. The number is predicted to be more, but it has not been found yet. Experts warn that infected patients are only the tip of the iceberg.
This zoonotic disease that jumps from animals to humans is thought to have been transmitted from mice. The new Langya virus discovered in China could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for yet-to-be-discovered pathogens.
The pathogen did not cause death, but was detected in 35 patients with febrile symptoms. So the expert asked anyone not to underestimate.
“We greatly underestimate the number of cases of this zoonotic in the world, and this (Langya virus) is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Varu Virus Specialist Leo Poon, a professor at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health. ).
However, the researchers say there is no evidence that the Langya virus spreads between humans. Infectious disease scientist Linfa Wang confirmed that this disease is a zoonosis.
“To reduce the risk of a virus emerging into a health crisis, it is imperative to carry out active surveillance in an internationally transparent and collaborative manner,” said Wang, a professor at Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School.
The Beginning of Virus Discovery
The first hints of the new virus emerged when a 53-year-old farmer sought treatment at a hospital in Qingdao city of Shandong province in December 2018 with symptoms including fever, headache, cough and nausea, according to documentation from researchers. Because the patient indicated that he had contact with animals in the past month, he was enrolled in additional examinations carried out at three hospitals in eastern China focused on identifying zoonotic diseases.
When the test samples of these patients were examined, the scientists discovered something unexpected: a virus that had never been seen before. This virus is related to the Hendra and Nipah viruses, or is still one family.
Over the next 32 months, researchers at three hospitals screened for the virus in the same patients, eventually detecting it in 35 people, who had a variety of symptoms including cough, fatigue, headache, and nausea, in addition to fever. Nine of those patients were also infected with known viruses, such as influenza. But researchers believe the symptoms in the remaining 26 may be caused by the new henipa virus.
Some show severe symptoms such as pneumonia or the disorder thrombocytopenia, a condition of blood platelets. Fortunately no one in the group died or was admitted to the ICU. Of the 26 groups, all but 4 were farmers.
China’s National Health Commission has not commented further on the discovery of this virus. Scientists who were not involved in the new research agree that it is important to track which viruses may have spread from animals to humans.
“As this (new henipavirus) may not only be circulating in China, sharing this information and allowing others to prepare or carry out further investigations in their own countries is important,” said the Hong Kong expert.
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Editor : Banu Adikara
Reporter : Marieska Harya Virdhani
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