Latest news with #henipavirus
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Virus Discovery Among Bats in China Fruit Orchards Draw Exposure Concerns
Bats living among the orchards of Yunnan province in southwest China have been found harboring a variety of unknown pathogens in their kidneys, including two that are closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses. The discovery was made by a team of scientists led by Guopeng Kuang from the Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention and Tian Yang from Dali University in China, who used genetic analysis to identify microbes in 142 bats from 10 different species. They found 20 new viruses in total, along with a new bacterium and a new protozoan parasite. The viruses of concern are both henipaviruses, which are known for their long genomes and wide range of hosts. More than half of the new viruses' genes match those of the Nipah and Hendra viruses, which, while highly lethal to humans who are infected, are relatively rare among our species. It's unclear whether these two new henipaviruses have the genetic machinery to cross from bats to other species, but their similarity to known human pathogens means scientists will be keeping a close eye on them. "These viruses are particularly concerning because they were predominantly found in bat kidneys, a site linked to urine production, raising alarm about potential human exposure via contaminated fruits or water (routes implicated in previous outbreaks)," says molecular virologist Vinod Balasubramaniam from Monash University in Malaysia, who was not involved in the study. That the bats were captured in fruit orchards means that if the viruses were capable of jumping between species, humans and domestic animals would make easy targets. Related: But bats are also an important asset to orchards: they can pollinate fruits, fertilize soil, and prey on insects. For instance, 90 percent of bats in China that are insectivorous save the country's apple farmers an estimated US$2 billion in crop losses each year. As University of Sydney veterinarian and wildlife disease ecologist Alison Peel, who was also not involved in the study, points out: "We have other examples of close evolutionary cousins to Hendra and Nipah that appear not to be of any concern for spillover, so there will need to be some more laboratory studies on these new viruses to determine the actual risk." The research is published in PLOS Pathogens. Scientists Revealed How Much Exercise You Need to 'Offset' Sitting All Day Social Media Might Impair Your Recovery From Injury. Here's Why. Cat Parasite Can Seriously Disrupt Brain Function, Study Suggests
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover two brand new viruses in bats in China – and warn they could spill over to humans
Infections that could trigger severe brain inflammation and respiratory disease have been discovered in bats in China. Researchers have found two new viruses in the flying mammals that are closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses – both of which are fatal to humans. Experts have raised urgent concerns about the potential of these viruses to jump to local people. And there is currently no medication or vaccine to treat either of them. 'These findings broaden our understanding of the bat kidney infectome, underscore critical zoonotic threats and highlight the need for comprehensive, full-spectrum microbial analyses of previously understudied organs to better assess spillover risks from bat populations,' the researchers said. For their study, the team from the Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention analysed the kidneys of 142 bats from 10 species collected over four years. Using advanced genetic sequencing they found 22 viruses – 20 of them never seen before. Two of the most concerning were new henipaviruses, closely related to the Nipah and Hendra viruses. These were found in fruit bats (Rousettus leschenaultia) living near orchards close to human villages in Yunnan. Since henipaviruses can spread through urine, the study raises concerns about contaminated fruit and the risk of these viruses jumping to humans. The team published their findings in the journal Plos Pathogens. They wrote: 'By analysing the infectome of bat kidneys collected near village orchards and caves in Yunnan, we uncovered not only the diverse microbes bats carry, but also the first full-length genomes of novel bat-borne henipaviruses closely related to Hendra and Nipah viruses identified in China.' They said their findings raise 'urgent concerns about the potential for these viruses to spill over into humans or livestock.' Bats are natural reservoirs for a wide range of microorganisms, including some that have previously been transmitted to humans. One theory is that the coronavirus could have originated in bats and then spilled over into people, triggering the global Covid pandemic. However, others argue it came from a 'lab leak' or from other animals being sold at a wet market. The animals have also been linked to Ebola and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreaks. 'Bat-borne viruses are transmitted to human either direct contact with bats or via so-called 'intermediate' hosts, often linked to the ingestion of food or water contaminated with bat saliva, faeces or urine,' the researchers added. They warned: 'Nipah virus are lethal pathogens that cause severe disease in humans, including acute respiratory distress and encephalitis, with a mortality rate of 35-75 per cent. 'Similarly, Hendra virus has caused multiple fatal outbreaks in humans and horses, including the death of veterinarians.' Separately, experts have warned that dozens of viruses – some of which have the potential to spill over into humans – have been detected mixing in animals at fur farms in China, sparking new fears of a fresh pandemic outbreak. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists have been warning that farming mammals such as minks for their fur could make it easier for new viruses to cross over from the wild and spark fresh outbreaks. Virologist Edward Holmes, who has led research into Covid-19, told AFP he felt that the global fur farming industry 'is one most likely ways by which a new pandemic will start'. 'Personally, I think the fur farming industry globally should be closed down,' he added. 'I strongly believe that the wildlife trade was responsible for the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. 'And I think that the related fur farming trade could easily result in another pandemic virus.' It might sound bat crazy, but these disease-riddled cave-dwelling creatures of the night might hold the key to curing CANCER They have become much maligned due to their links to the Covid pandemic - but bats may hold the secret to curing cancer. A new study found some species contain more than 50 unique genes that may make them immune to tumors - even though they live extraordinarily long lives. Bats have mystified scientists for years due to their unique ability to live normally with viruses that kill or sicken most other mammals - and people. Yet this ability to tolerate viruses put them at the center of questions about the origin of Covid, which is thought to have emerged in the animals. Researchers hope that by developing a better understanding of their miracle immune systems, they can develop ways to prevent and treat cancer in people.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UKHSA unveils high-risk pathogen list to drive innovation
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has released a new watch list of 24 infectious diseases that could pose the greatest future risk to public health, aiming to guide development into diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. Among the high-priority pathogens are Nipah virus, mpox, and chikungunya, where the UKHSA is keen to see greater investment and scientific research. The agency emphasised that there is no ranking within the list, but each viral family in the list has a rating of high, moderate, or low pandemic and epidemic potential. UKHSA chief scientific officer Isabel Oliver said: 'We are using the tool as part of our conversations with the scientific community, to help ensure that investment is focused to where it can have the biggest impact. 'We hope this will help to speed up vaccine and diagnostics development where it is most needed, to ensure we are fully prepared in our fight against potentially deadly pathogens.' The watch list is part of the UK Government's broader 'pandemic preparedness' efforts. In March 2024, UKHSA partnered with the Pirbright Institute to develop vaccines against henipavirus – a group of viruses, including Nipah, that can cause severe respiratory and neurological diseases in humans through contact with infected animals. This research, funded by the Medical Research Council, involves UKHSA scientists evaluating Pirbright's vaccines using a Nipah virus model. There is no approved vaccine for the Nipah virus. In August 2023, UKHSA launched the Vaccine Development Evaluation Centre (VDEC) at its Porton Down site. With more than 200 scientists working on nearly 100 projects, the facility focuses on developing vaccines against emerging threats. Major strides have been made in vaccine development for some diseases on the UKHSA list. Mpox has seen a surge in global cases, leading the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to declare the 2024 outbreak a public health emergency of Continental Security. Moderna is currently running a Phase I/II clinical trial (NCT05995275) in the UK for its mRNA-1769 mpox vaccine. Chikungunya also remains a priority. Last month, Valneva's chikungunya vaccine Ixchiq secured approval from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), allowing the single-dose vaccine to be made available for adults. Just yesterday (24 March), Valneva announced it will supply 40,000 doses of Ixchiq to French overseas territory Réunion as part of efforts to curb the spike in disease cases on the island. In addition, a $41.3m partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) is supporting Ixchiq's distribution in low and middle-income countries. The UK is not alone in prioritising pandemic preparedness. In March 2021, a coalition of world leaders, including the then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, proposed a new treaty on pandemic preparedness and response. This was later taken to the World Health Organization (WHO), where it has been debated by a newly established member state-led intergovernmental negotiation body. The WHO has also emphasised the need to prepare for 'Disease X' – the term the agency coined for the next unknown infectious pathogen that could cause a future epidemic or even a pandemic. Disease X is listed alongside Zika, Covid-19, Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease as a priority for global investment and R&D efforts. "UKHSA unveils high-risk pathogen list to drive innovation" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
