What Is Langya Virus? China Plagued By New Infections With 35 Cases Reported So Far

A new animal-derived virus of an unidentified type has been detected in China, despite the fact that COVID-19 has not yet been totally eradicated and the recent outbreak of monkeypox has caused anxiety. According to official Chinese media on Tuesday, the Henipavirus, also known as the "Langya" henipavirus (LayV), has so far infected 35 persons in the eastern Chinese provinces of Henan and Shandong.

The Langya virus, another zoonotic virus, has specialists' interest after 35 cases of infection were discovered in China. Authorities claimed that because the patients were not in close proximity to one another or shared an exposure history, it is possible that human illnesses are random. To detect and stop the spread of the virus, Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are currently developing a nucleic acid testing technology.

What is Langya henipavirus? 

Because the Langya virus is a recently discovered, Taiwan's laboratories would need a standardised nucleic acid testing method to identify the virus, so that human infections may be monitored, if necessary. This was stated by Chuang Jen-hsiang, Taiwan's CDC's Deputy Director-General.

It is reportedly possible for animals to transmit the Langya henipavirus, which has been found in the Chinese provinces of Shandong and Henan. Chuang stated that although there have been no reports of the virus spreading from person to person, the CDC hasn't decided whether it can. He cautioned people to closely monitor any upcoming information regarding the infection.

He described the serological survey that was done on domestic animals and stated that 2% of the goats and 5% of the canines had positive results. The Langya henipavirus was discovered in 27% of the shrew test subjects, according to the CDC Deputy DG, which raises the possibility that the shrew, a small insectivorous mammal that resembles a mouse, maybe a natural reservoir for the virus.

Symptoms

Some of the virus-infected patients experienced symptoms like fever, exhaustion, a cough, appetite loss, muscle discomfort, nausea, headaches, and vomiting. Additionally, they revealed a reduction in white blood cells. liver and renal dysfunction, and low platelet count.

The New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday released a paper titled "A Zoonotic Henipavirus in Febrile Patients in China" that reported the discovery of a brand-new henipavirus linked to a fever-producing human ailment in China.

In China's Shandong and Henan provinces, 35 patients were found to have an acute infection of the Langya henipavirus, and 26 of them alone had the Langya virus and no other infections.

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The fatal Nipah virus, which is commonly found in bats, is related to Langya. COVID-19 and Nipah both spread through respiratory droplets, but Nipah is even more harmful because it can kill up to 75% of people. The next pandemic is most likely to be brought on by Nipah, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).