Off The Record

Pandemic Fears Are Raised By A New Virus Found In Alabama

For the first time, a potentially fatal virus has been found in the United States.

Scientists in Alabama discovered the Camp Hill virus in shrews, raising concerns that it can spread to people through animal reservoirs and result in a potentially widespread outbreak.

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The Camp Hill virus is a member of the henipavirus family of infections, which also includes the Nipah virus, which is spread by bats and can kill up to 70% of its victims. However, no human case of the Camp Hill virus has ever been documented, and experts are unsure of the symptoms and fatality rate.

The Langya virus, which spread from shrews to humans in China, is the virus that infects people closest to Camp Hill. It results in renal damage, liver dysfunction, fever, exhaustion, coughing, and muscle aches.

Dr Rhys Parry from the University of Queensland, who confirmed the virus’ presence in Alabama shrews, said: “This indicates that shrew-to-human transmission can occur.”

“The discovery of a henipavirus in North America is highly significant, as it suggests these viruses may be more globally distributed than previously thought.”

Researchers are also worried, stating in a recent article that the discovery of Camp Hill virus in North America “raises concerns about past and potential future spillover events” due to “the high case-fatality rates associated with henipaviruses.”

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They do, however, add that additional study is required to ascertain whether the Camp Hill virus poses a harm to people.

Dr Parry said: “Henipaviruses have caused serious disease and death in people and animals in other regions.”

“One of the most dangerous is the Hendra virus, which was first detected in Brisbane, Australia, and has a fatality rate of 70 percent.”

“Another example is Nipah virus, which has recorded fatality rates between 40 and 75 percent in outbreaks in Southeast Asia, including in Malaysia and Bangladesh.”

Flu and symptoms of respiratory distress, including pneumonia, can be brought on by the Hendra and Nipah virus. Seizures, confusion, coma, and serious inflammation of the brain and spinal cord can all result from the Hendra virus.

In as little as 24 hours, the Nipah virus can potentially induce seizures, brain inflammation, confusion, disorientation, and coma.

There is no particular treatment for either virus.

The Camp Hill virus usually infects Australian fruit bats, but the first-ever finding of the virus in a North American mammal may challenge preconceived notions about how the virus spreads, the researchers said.

This discovery implies that the Camp Hill virus has adapted to survive in several animal species and is more globally dispersed than previously thought by experts.

Usually found in southern Canada and the eastern and central United States, the northern short-tailed shrew is widespread in bogs and bushy forests. There is potential for animal-to-human spillover since a large portion of their environment crosses over into human territory.

Although the report was only made public this week, researchers discovered the virus in shrews in 2021.

Humans have never contracted the virus, and it has only ever been found in bats.

As part of a study on the aging of mammals, researchers in Alabama caught four northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda). They found genetic material from the Camp Hill virus after analyzing tissue samples from the shrews.

The fact that the virus was mostly detected in the kidneys of shrews implies that it would target the same organs in people.

The research team concentrated on creating vaccinations for this virus family, according to co-author Dr. Ariel Isaacs.

Nipah and Hendra are two examples of henipaviruses that infect cells by binding to certain proteins on the host cell’s surface.

They attach themselves to cell receptors using a protein called the G protein, and they fuse their membrane with the membrane of the host cell using a different protein called the F protein. This makes it possible for the virus to enter the cell and begin growing.

To further our knowledge of this viral family and develop more effective defenses against it, Dr. Isaacs stated that the next phase in this research is to examine the crucial surface proteins on the virus that contribute to its ability to penetrate cells.