Pathogenic virus
Wetland virus or WELV is a tick borne Orthonairovirus which can infect humans. It can produce fever, headache, dizziness, malaise, arthritis and less commonly petechiae, localized lymphadenopathy. Complications may include neurological symptoms.[1]
Virology
The Wetland virus orthonairovirus (WELV) is a member of the genus Orthonairovirus, family Nairoviridae[1] of RNA viruses. It was first identified in 2019 in a Chinese person in Jinzhou, Liaoning province NorthEastern China after a visit to a wetland park in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia. Three different strains were identified one from the patient and two from ticks.[1]
Its sequence is most similar to the Tofla virus from Japan.[1]
Hosts and transmission
The Wetland virus was found in mice, sheep, pigs, and horses, but not dogs or cattle. It was found in about 2% of 14,500 different ticks in Northeast China with the highest prevalence (6%) in Haemaphysalis concinna.[1]
Experimental infection showed that WELV caused lethal disease even in immunocompetent mice, unlike the remainder of the viruses in Nairoviridae family.[1]
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of infection with the Wetland virus are fever, headache, dizziness, malaise, myalgia (muscle pain), arthritis, and back pain. Less commonly there are petechiae and localized lymphadenopathy.[1] One person also had severe neurological symptoms, but all recovered without sequelae.[1] Symptoms and signs resemble those of Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, and the differential diagnosis includes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome and spotted fever.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Zhang, Xiao-Ai; Ma, Yi-Dan; Zhang, Yun-Fa; Hu, Zhen-Yu; Zhang, Jing-Tao; Han, Shuo; Wang, Gang; Li, Shuang; Wang, Xi; Tang, Fang; Liang, Wen-Jun; Yuan, Hong-Xia; Zhao, Jia-Qi; Jiang, Lan-Fen; Zhang, Lei (2024-09-05). "A New Orthonairovirus Associated with Human Febrile Illness". New England Journal of Medicine. 391 (9): 821–831. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2313722. ISSN 0028-4793. PMID 39231344.
