New Langya virus: What are its symptoms and how is it transmitted?

After the onset of the epidemic Covid-19 all health centers are on the alert for the emergence of new viruses with zoonotic capacity. In this scenario, Langya (LayV), a recently sequenced virus, gained importance.

First detected in 2018, the virus is named after the Langya region in Chuzhou City, China, where the first infected patient lived. The discovery of this henipavirus strain came through the surveillance of three hospitals in eastern China’s provinces from Shandong to Henan.

All patients who were referred to these three care units, had fever, and reported recent contact with animals were referred to participate in the study.

In the period from 2018 to 2021, 35 patients infected with LayV virus were identified. Like Covid-19, the new virus is a zoonosis and the source of transmission is infected animals.

What are the symptoms of langya virus?

LayV causes some respiratory symptoms and fever is present in all cases recorded to date. Among the symptoms reported by patients:

• Fire;
• Cough;
• loss of appetite;
• Muscle pains;
• burnout;
• headache;
• Nausea and vomiting.

In a small number of cases, patients developed more severe symptoms, such as pneumonia, and renal and hepatic dysfunction. But despite the distress, cases were positive and no deaths from virus infection were reported.

How is Langya virus transmitted?

Most infected people are farmers and come into contact with animals in their daily lives. The researchers observed that through sampling, the virus could be detected in goats and dogs.

However, the greatest instance of the virus’s existence occurred in shrews, small mammals that resemble mice in appearance and eat mainly insects. Of the 262 animals tested, 27% had the virus.

However, although we know what the natural hosts of the virus might be, specifically for LayV, it is still unclear how transmission occurs. Transmission can occur through direct contact with infected animals or intermediate hosts.

So far, researchers say there has been no human-to-human transmission. No interpersonal transmission was observed in the follow-up of nine patients and their close contacts.

Because of all these loopholes, scientists are keeping an eye on the virus and looking for answers to yet unexplained factors.