Everything you need to know about the Langya Henipa virus

Everything you need to know about the Langya Henipavius

What is Langya Henipavius?

Langya Henipavius(LayV), also known as Langya virus, is a species of henipavirus first detected in the Chinese provinces of Shandong and Henan in December 2018 .

The Langya Henipavius, referred to as

"Langya," has already infected 35 people,

according to Taiwan's Centers for Disease

Control.

 It has been announced in 35 patients as of August 2022. All but 9 of the 35 cases in China were infected with LayV only, with symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and coughing.

 

Is the Langya henipavirus fatal?

No deaths have been reported due to LayV so far. Langya henipavirus affects humans as well as other animals species, including shrews - its presumed original host . 

Is the Langya Henipavius capable of human to human transmission?

The 35 cases were not in contact with each other, and it is not yet known if the virus is capable of human-to-human transmission, which hasn't been reported for now.

Authorities said the patients did not have
close contact with each other or common
exposure history, suggesting that human
infections might be sporadic .

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) are currently establishing
a nucleic acid testing method to identify
and check the spread of the virus.
The virus is in the same family as the
Hendra virus and Nipah virus.
It is a virus that has not infected human
beings prior to this outbreak.

 As a result, there are a lot of unknowns.

WHO data classifies Henipavirus with a

40-75% fatality rate.

Symptoms of the Henipavius?

Symptoms typically appear in 4-14 days following exposure to the virus. The illness initially presents as 3-14 days of fever and headache, and often includes signs of respiratory illness, such as cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing .

After tracking the symptoms of the virus in the patients, researchers the following symptoms were discovered:

Fever(most common)

Cough

Fatigue

Loss of appetite

Muscle aches

Tendency to vomit

Headache

A report by the New England Journal of
Medicine says the infected patients had a
history of being in contact with animals .
The Langya Henipavius has been found
in China's Shandong and Henan provinces
and can be transmitted from animals to
humans, reported Taipei Times

Classification of the Langya Henipavius

(unranked): Virus

Realm:------- Riboviria

Kingdom:---Orthornavirae

Phylum:----- Negarnaviricota

Class:-------- Monjiviricetes

Order:-------- Mononegavirales

Family------- Paramyxoviridae

Genus:------ Henipavirus

Species:---- Langya henipavirus

How to prevent the Langya Henipavius?

Avoid contact with sick bats or pigs. Avoid areas where bats are known to roost. Avoid eating or drinking products that could be contaminated by bats, such as raw date palm sap, raw fruit, or fruit that is found on the ground .

Is the Langya Henipah virus curable?

Currently there are no licensed treatments available for Nipah virus (NiV) infection. Treatment is limited to supportive care, including rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms as they occur .

Who is at risk for the  Langya Henipah virus?

This also causes NiV to infect more animals, including pigs, humans, dogs, horses, goats, cats, and rodents. It has been reported that even cows are infected. Among these susceptible animals, pigs and humans are the most susceptible animals.

How is the Langya Henipah virus detected?

Different tests are available to diagnose NiV infection. During early stages of the illness, laboratory testing can be conducted using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from throat and nasal swabs, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and blood .

Can the Langya Henipavius spread through air?

Experts say that the Henipah Virus is not an airborne infection. However, infection can spread through droplets and objects contaminated by secretions (urine, saliva etc.) of infected animals or humans .

What is the incubation period for the Langya Henipah virus?

Infection with Henipah virus is associated with encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). After exposure and an incubation period of 5 to 14 days,illness presents with 3-14 days of fever and headache, followed by drowsiness, disorientation and mental confusion.