Researchers recently announced that a deadly virus has been found in short-tailed shrews in the United States. The discovery of the virus has led to concerns regarding the potential for animals to transmit the virus to humans.
A recent press release from Australia’s University of Queensland said, “Researchers at The University of Queensland have identified the first henipavirus in North America.”
According to the press release, researchers confirmed that the “Camp Hill virus” was discovered in northern short-tailed shrews in the state of Alabama. Fox News reported that a henipavirus is classified as a zoonotic virus. According to the Cleveland Clinic, zoonotic diseases are “infectious illnesses that spread between animals and humans.”
In the press release, Dr. Rhys Parry from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences said, “Henipaviruses have caused serious disease and death in people and animals in other regions.”
Parry added, “The discovery of a henipavirus in North America is highly significant, as it suggests these viruses may be more globally distributed than previously thought.”
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In the university’s press release, Parry emphasized that additional research is required to determine whether the Camp Hill virus could represent a “threat” to humans.
“The closest known henipavirus to Camp Hill virus that has caused disease in humans is Langya virus, which crossed from shrews to humans in China,” Parry said. “This indicates that shrew-to-human transmission can occur.”
Parry explained that one of the “most dangerous” henipaviruses is the Hendra virus, which was first discovered in Brisbane, Australia. Parry noted that the Hendra virus has a fatality rate of 70%. Parry also noted that the Nipah virus in Southeast Asia has a fatality rate of between 40% and 75%.
In the recent press release, Dr. Ariel Isaacs indicated that the researchers at the University of Queensland plan to focus on developing vaccines for henipaviruses in the future.
“The next step for this work is to characterize key surface proteins on the virus that are involved in cell entry to broaden our understanding of the virus family and identify better ways to protect against it,” Isaacs stated.
To avoid henipavirus infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people avoid “unprotected contact” with animals that could be infected with the virus. While the CDC’s website says that “no specific antiviral treatment” is currently available for henipavirus infections, the CDC’s website notes, “Therapy consists of supportive care and management of complications.”
