2023-06-25 08:55:00
The corona epidemic has long since not been considered a threat to humanity, and now scientists around the world are trying to figure out what will be the next virus to trouble us. According to an article published this month in the journal Nature Communications, it seems that a virus called Langya may be the next problem we have to face.
Similar to Covid-19, this virus also causes fever and severe respiratory symptoms, and it can even lead to fatal pneumonia. Another disturbing common point of similarity comes from the fact that it was first identified in humans in China last year, when the sticky 35 farmers and other residents, apparently following contact with animals.
Dr. Ariel Isaacs, a researcher at the School of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia, said humanity is at an “important juncture” and that it “can expect more spillover events from animals to humans.”
“The fact that this is a virus that comes from China should definitely be troubling”
“It is definitely something that requires close monitoring,” agrees Prof. Cyril Cohen, head of the immunotherapy laboratory at Bar Ilan University. “Although at this stage we do not know of any deaths, which is encouraging, the fact that it is a virus that comes from China should certainly be troubling. As we have seen, this is a country that does not allow a free hand for virus research and is plagued by problems reporting on infection data in real time. Also the proximity of the population The generality that there are different animals is a problem because viruses, as we know, may pass from animals to humans and then from humans to humans, in which case they may also undergo disturbing changes.”
Prof. Cohen points out that the Helangia virus belongs to the Nipah and Hendra virus family. “These are viruses that can cause meningitis and severe pneumonia. They can be fatal, so it’s quite disturbing. We’ve been following these viruses for 20 years. In Malaysia, for example, there was an outbreak of Nipah and hundreds of people died there as a result of meningitis caused by Etia.”
What does the discovery of the virus mean?
“This means that we must monitor the spread of these viruses as well as the changes they may undergo. As we know, such changes can make them deadly – more or less. Another thing that must be done is to develop vaccines – and it had better be soon. In the end, what helped us To develop an effective vaccine for Corona is the fact that we followed the Sars virus, which is actually from the same family as Corona. When scientists realized that its protein was the Achilles heel of the disease, they were able to produce a vaccine in a relatively short period of time. Therefore, what will help right now is to research more about Langia and its family, and try to produce Vaccines against it By the way, the more extended family of this virus includes the measles and mumps viruses.
“The feeling is that it is a matter of time until a virus of this type breaks out and forces humanity to face another epidemic. Therefore, we must prepare and be ready for any scenario of this type,” Prof. Cohen concludes.
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