Langya Henipavirus spread in China
A new zoonotic Langya Henipavirus has raised concerns among cases of COVID-19 and monkeypox. The virus, named Langya Henipavirus, has so far infected hundreds of people in China's Shandong and Henan provinces. The first case of Langya virus was reported in the year 2019.
Langya virus is classified amongbthe Biosafety Level-4 (BSL 4) pathogens. According to a report, the results of tests conducted on 25 wild animal species suggest that shrew (a small insectivorous mammal resembling a rat) may be the main cause of transmission of
Langya Henipavirus.
Langya Virus
Langya virus is a zoonotic virus, which means it can spread from animals to humans. Langya is part of the genus Henipavirus, which has a single-stranded RNA genome with a negative orientation. The unique features of the Henipavirus Paramyxovirinae are their large genomes, long uncharacterized regions that make it an emerging cause of zoonosis in the Asia-Pacific region.
Novel Langya Virus
The newly discovered Langya virus is a 'phylogenetically distinct henipavirus'. Other viruses of the previously discovered Henipavirus types are Mojiang, Ghanaian, Cedi, Nipah and Hendra. Of these, Nipah and Hendra are known to cause fatal diseases in
humans.
The genome organization of Langya is "similar to that of other henipaviruses" and is closely related to the "Mojiang henipavirus", which was discovered in southern China.
Symptoms of this virus
Fever, fatigue, cough, nausea, headache, loss of appetite, etc.