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Langya virus unlikely to trigger new pandemic
A new Langya virus has spread from animals to humans. It causes fever, cough, fatigue, loss of appetite and muscle aches, but there is no evidence yet that humans could be the source of the infection.
The new germ was first detected in northeast China — in Shandong and Henan provinces — back in late 2018. But it was only formally identified by scientists last week, and a report on it was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Scientists detected viral RNA of the Langya germ (LayV for short) among 27 percent of tested shrews living in the region (Crocidura suaveolens pictured), suggesting that these very small mammals may be its natural reservoir (it was also detected in 2 percent of domestic goats and 5 percent of dogs).
What are the symptoms of infection?
According to the infection monitoring group, there is no evidence so far that people have infected each other, as the patients so far have had no previous contact with each other. Nor have their family members become infected. Therefore, it can be assumed that the virus cannot pass from person to person at this time. Infection has always occurred through contact with an animal. Although scientists cannot rule out such a transmission route for now as well.
