Latest news with #AlisonPeel
West Australian
6 hours ago
- Health
- West Australian
‘Urgent concerns' after new bat viruses detected in China with links to deadly Hendra and Nipah pathogens
Scientists have raised 'urgent concerns' after the discovery of new bat pathogens in China that are closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses. The prospect of these viruses jumping the species barrier to humans is fuelling this concern, with the newly discovered henipaviruses detected in the kidneys of bats inhabiting orchards near villages in the Yunnan province. University of Sydney wildlife disease ecologist Dr Alison Peel wasn't involved directly in the study, which was published on Wednesday in the PLOS Pathogens journal, but works on related research. Dr Peel said there had been an emphasis on bat-borne viruses since Hendra emerged in Brisbane more than 30 years ago. 'We know that there are some viruses that bats can carry that can be really dangerous when they spill over into other species,' Dr Peel told The Nightly's News Worthy podcast. 'Hendra virus, which is in flying foxes here in Australia, and Nipah virus, which is found in Bangladesh and other parts of Asia, are examples of those really highly pathogenic viruses, which, when they spill over, are highly fatal in people.' The new study was led by Yun Feng of the Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, and took a different approach to previous research. 'When we sample from bats in Australia, we don't euthanise the animals, we just collect their urine or their faeces and look for viruses in that, and, for Hendra virus in particular, we found that it's often excreted in the urine,' Dr Peel said. By comparison, the Chinese study took samples from actual kidney tissue in 142 bats across 10 species and discovered the presence of 22 viruses of which 20 were novel pathogens. 'Every species has their own suite of viruses, but the interesting thing about bats is that they evolved a long, long time ago and have the capability of flight and they're mammals,' Dr Peel said. 'Humans and a lot of the species that we interact with have a lot of similar biological and immunological processes, but the bat's capability for flight meant that they had to adjust their physiology and their immune system in new ways. 'And so that co-evolutionary process with the viruses that they host started to go down a different path, so when those viruses are in contact with humans, as is increasingly happening as we encroach on their environments and remove their food sources and things like that, our immune systems haven't evolved the same capabilities to defend ourselves against some of these viruses.' The authors of the new research added they had 'urgent concerns about the potential for these viruses to spill over into humans or livestock' in the future, something Dr Peel said would now be a focus of ongoing research. 'There are two main areas for future work — one is lab-based studies to try and understand more about these particular viruses and whether they are of concern,' Dr Peel said. 'The other avenue is to understand more about the ecological context of the bats that these came from ... because it's only through really incorporating deep ecological knowledge about the species that we can actually use that to predict risk and find ways to counteract that.'
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Health
- Perth Now
‘Urgent concerns' after deadly viruses found in Chinese bats
Scientists have raised 'urgent concerns' after the discovery of new bat pathogens in China that are closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses. The prospect of these viruses jumping the species barrier to humans is fuelling this concern, with the newly discovered henipaviruses detected in the kidneys of bats inhabiting orchards near villages in the Yunnan province. University of Sydney wildlife disease ecologist Dr Alison Peel wasn't involved directly in the study, which was published on Wednesday in the PLOS Pathogens journal, but works on related research. Dr Peel said there had been an emphasis on bat-borne viruses since Hendra emerged in Brisbane more than 30 years ago. 'We know that there are some viruses that bats can carry that can be really dangerous when they spill over into other species,' Dr Peel told The Nightly's News Worthy podcast. 'Hendra virus, which is in flying foxes here in Australia, and Nipah virus, which is found in Bangladesh and other parts of Asia, are examples of those really highly pathogenic viruses, which, when they spill over, are highly fatal in people.' The new study was led by Yun Feng of the Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, and took a different approach to previous research. 'When we sample from bats in Australia, we don't euthanise the animals, we just collect their urine or their faeces and look for viruses in that, and, for Hendra virus in particular, we found that it's often excreted in the urine,' Dr Peel said. By comparison, the Chinese study took samples from actual kidney tissue in 142 bats across 10 species and discovered the presence of 22 viruses of which 20 were novel pathogens. 'Every species has their own suite of viruses, but the interesting thing about bats is that they evolved a long, long time ago and have the capability of flight and they're mammals,' Dr Peel said. 'Humans and a lot of the species that we interact with have a lot of similar biological and immunological processes, but the bat's capability for flight meant that they had to adjust their physiology and their immune system in new ways. 'And so that co-evolutionary process with the viruses that they host started to go down a different path, so when those viruses are in contact with humans, as is increasingly happening as we encroach on their environments and remove their food sources and things like that, our immune systems haven't evolved the same capabilities to defend ourselves against some of these viruses.' The authors of the new research added they had 'urgent concerns about the potential for these viruses to spill over into humans or livestock' in the future, something Dr Peel said would now be a focus of ongoing research. 'There are two main areas for future work — one is lab-based studies to try and understand more about these particular viruses and whether they are of concern,' Dr Peel said. 'The other avenue is to understand more about the ecological context of the bats that these came from ... because it's only through really incorporating deep ecological knowledge about the species that we can actually use that to predict risk and find ways to counteract that.'
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First Post
9 hours ago
- Health
- First Post
Another virus scare from China: Scientists find new health threats in Chinese bats
Chinese researchers have identified 22 new viruses in kidney tissues from 142 bats. Two of them resemble Hendra and Nipah henipaviruses, which can cause severe brain inflammation and respiratory illness read more Researchers in China have uncovered at least 20 new viruses in bats, sparking 'urgent concerns' that they could spread to livestock or humans. Using genetic sequencing, the team identified 22 viruses in kidney tissues from 142 bats in Yunnan province, collected between 2017 and 2021. Of the newly identified 22 viruses, two are said to be extremely dangerous. The two resemble Hendra and Nipah henipaviruses, which can cause severe brain inflammation and respiratory illness in humans, according to The Sun. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As per reports, the fatality rate of diseases caused by these viruses can be as high as 75 per cent. The study also revealed unknown bacteria and a new single-celled parasite, Klossiella yunnanensis. Significance of the discovery This discovery comes years after the Covid-19 pandemic, which first emerged in Wuhan, China, in 2019, killing millions around the globe. The Wuhan Virus Research Centre, known for studying bat coronaviruses, was previously linked to theories suggesting a lab leak caused the outbreak. What are researchers warning about? The bats in this study were found roosting near fruit orchards close to populated villages. Researchers warn that bat urine could transmit henipaviruses, potentially contaminating fruit eaten by humans or animals, risking another outbreak. The study identified two new henipaviruses, Yunnan bat henipavirus 1 and 2, the first full-length genomes of this virus type found in Chinese bats. Molecular virologist Vinod Balasubramaniam called the findings 'concerning,' noting the viruses were in bat kidneys, linked to urine production, which could expose humans through contaminated fruit or water. These viruses share 52-57 per cent genetic material with other henipaviruses, which have caused deadly outbreaks before. Though there's no certainty of these viruses spilling over to humans, past incidents like the Nipah outbreak in Bangladesh, linked to bat-contaminated fruit sap, show it's possible. Yunnan's proximity to Malaysia, where Nipah first emerged, heightens concerns among virologists about the virus's risk. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ecologist Dr. Alison Peel noted that not all henipaviruses are harmful, but lab tests are crucial to determine their potential to infect humans.
Economic Times
12 hours ago
- Health
- Economic Times
Another pandemic? Deadly new bat viruses found in China, Scientists warn of up to 75 percent fatality rate
All about Henipaviruses The discovery site Live Events Wake-up call? The solution (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Researchers from multiple Chinese universities, together with international collaborators, recently released a study in PLOS collected kidney samples from 142 bats representing ten species between 2017 to 2020 across five Yunnan locations. Genetic sequencing revealed 22 viral species, including 20 entirely new viruses, and two henipaviruses closely related to deadly Hendra and Nipah strainsHenipaviruses are notorious for causing severe brain inflammation and respiratory illness, with fatality rates as high as 75 percent in humans. Nipah outbreaks in Malaysia and Bangladesh, and Hendra cases in Australia, have underscored their deadly potential. Alarmingly, Yunnan bat henipavirus 1 shares up to 71 percent similarity in key proteins (N and L) with Nipah and Hendra , marking it as the closest known wild development comes a few years after the deadly COVID-19 outbreak resulted in millions of deaths around the world. Its first known case was identified in China 's Wuhan city in late makes this especially concerning is the discovery site, bat kidneys, and the source of urine. Bats roost in orchards adjacent to rural villages, creating an environment where urine droplets may contaminate fruit or water, exposing villagers and their animals. Molecular virologist Vinod Balasubramaniam emphasized that this precise localization 'raises alarm about potential human exposure via contaminated fruits or water'.The team also identified a new protozoan parasite, Klossiella yunnanensis, and two novel bacterial species, including Flavobacterium yunnanensis. This focuses on the 'infectome,' the full range of microbes within the bat stress that spillover is not inevitable. It requires the right viral traits and sufficient exposure, often via intermediaries. For instance, fruit bat–related Nipah cases in Bangladesh arose from contaminated date-palm sap. Still, given Yunnan's proximity to regions like Malaysia, where Nipah first emerged, the stakes are Alison Peel, an ecologist unaffiliated with the study, noted that many henipavirus relatives 'appear not to be of any concern,' but stressed that laboratory testing is vital to assess their ability to infect human or livestock investigation serves as a wake‑up call as humans encroach on wildlife habitats, shared food and water sources become potential bridges for local health systems, educate communities on simple safety measures like covering fruit and boiling water, and expand microbial monitoring across bat organs, especially kidneys and urine.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Another pandemic? Deadly new bat viruses found in China, Scientists warn of up to 75 percent fatality rate
Researchers from multiple Chinese universities, together with international collaborators, recently released a study in PLOS collected kidney samples from 142 bats representing ten species between 2017 to 2020 across five Yunnan locations. Genetic sequencing revealed 22 viral species, including 20 entirely new viruses, and two henipaviruses closely related to deadly Hendra and Nipah strains All about Henipaviruses Henipaviruses are notorious for causing severe brain inflammation and respiratory illness, with fatality rates as high as 75 percent in humans. Nipah outbreaks in Malaysia and Bangladesh, and Hendra cases in Australia, have underscored their deadly potential. Alarmingly, Yunnan bat henipavirus 1 shares up to 71 percent similarity in key proteins (N and L) with Nipah and Hendra , marking it as the closest known wild relative. This development comes a few years after the deadly COVID-19 outbreak resulted in millions of deaths around the world. Its first known case was identified in China 's Wuhan city in late 2019. The discovery site What makes this especially concerning is the discovery site, bat kidneys, and the source of urine. Bats roost in orchards adjacent to rural villages, creating an environment where urine droplets may contaminate fruit or water, exposing villagers and their animals. Molecular virologist Vinod Balasubramaniam emphasized that this precise localization 'raises alarm about potential human exposure via contaminated fruits or water'. Live Events The team also identified a new protozoan parasite, Klossiella yunnanensis, and two novel bacterial species, including Flavobacterium yunnanensis. This focuses on the 'infectome,' the full range of microbes within the bat kidney. Experts stress that spillover is not inevitable. It requires the right viral traits and sufficient exposure, often via intermediaries. For instance, fruit bat–related Nipah cases in Bangladesh arose from contaminated date-palm sap. Still, given Yunnan's proximity to regions like Malaysia, where Nipah first emerged, the stakes are high. Dr. Alison Peel, an ecologist unaffiliated with the study, noted that many henipavirus relatives 'appear not to be of any concern,' but stressed that laboratory testing is vital to assess their ability to infect human or livestock cells. Wake-up call? This investigation serves as a wake‑up call as humans encroach on wildlife habitats, shared food and water sources become potential bridges for viruses. The solution Strengthen local health systems, educate communities on simple safety measures like covering fruit and boiling water, and expand microbial monitoring across bat organs, especially kidneys and urine.
