Researchers have discovered the first henipavirus in North America.
A team of researchers from the University of Queensland has made a groundbreaking discovery: the first henipavirus in North America.
According to Dr. Rhys Parry from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, the Camp Hill virus was confirmed in shrews located in Alabama, USA.
Dr. Parry emphasized the severity of henipaviruses, stating, “These viruses have led to serious illnesses and fatalities in both humans and animals in different parts of the world.”
He noted, “One of the most alarming is the Hendra virus, first found in Brisbane, Australia, which has a staggering fatality rate of 70 percent.”
Furthermore, he pointed to Nipah virus, which has shown fatality rates ranging from 40 to 75 percent during outbreaks in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Bangladesh.
“The identification of a henipavirus in North America is crucial, indicating that these viruses might be more widespread globally than we initially believed,” Dr. Parry stated.
The Camp Hill virus was discovered in northern short-tailed shrews, a type of small mammal commonly found across Canada and the United States.
Dr. Parry added that further studies are necessary to determine whether it poses a risk to humans.
“The closest henipavirus known to cause disease in humans is the Langya virus, which transferred from shrews to humans in China,” he mentioned.
“This demonstrates that transmission from shrews to humans is possible.”
Co-author Dr. Ariel Isaacs indicated that creating vaccines for this virus family is a priority for the researchers at UQ.
“Our next step is to analyze critical surface proteins on the virus that play a role in cell entry, which will help us deepen our understanding of the virus family and discover more effective ways to defend against it,” Dr. Isaacs explained.
This research was conducted with support from UQ’s Dr. Naphak Modhiran and Professor Daniel Watterson, as well as collaborators from Professor Wendy R. Hood’s lab at Auburn University and Professor Vera Gorbunova and Professor Andrei Seluanov’s Laboratory at the University of Rochester.
