A new virus, Langya, identified in China: dozens of cases, human-to-human transmission ruled out at this stage

Several dozen people in China have contracted a new virus, dubbed Langya, of animal origin. At this stage, scientists rule out the risk of human-to-human transmission.

The Langya henipavirus (LayV) virus causes symptoms in humans such as fever, fatigue, cough, nausea and headache. Scientists speculate that the shrew, a small mammal with a pointed snout, could be the animal that allowed its transmission to humans.

The infections were seen in the Chinese provinces of Shandong (east) and Henan (central). Thirty-five people have been infected in China, according to a report published in early August by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), a leading medical journal in the United States.

A “sporadic” infection

The patients, mostly farmers, had neitherclose contact“is”joint exhibition“to a pathogen, underlines the study, which supposes an infection”sporadic” in humans.

Some have developed blood cell abnormalities. Others experienced impaired liver and kidney function, the report said.

Langya was detected for the first time in 2018. But this time the virus could be formally identified, thanks to a system for detecting acute fevers and a history of exposure to animals.

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