A new pathogen, called Camp Hill virus, was recently discovered in Alabama, drawing attention to a group of viruses known as henipaviruses. This is a big deal because other viruses in this group are linked to serious, often fatal, disease, and this is the first time one of them has been found in North America.
Author
- Shirin Ashraf
Postdoctoral Researcher, MRC-Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow
Camp Hill virus was discovered by looking at tissue samples from short-tailed shrews that were collected in 2021. It’s a new species of virus that’s related to other dangerous viruses such as Nipah and Hendra , which have caused serious outbreaks in other parts of the world. It’s also distantly related to the measles virus.
The first known henipavirus, Hendra virus, was identified in Australia in 1994 . There have been just seven cases of humans getting infected – four of them were fatal.
Nipah virus, discovered in Malaysia in 1998, is much more deadly. It has caused 30 outbreaks in south-east Asia, infecting over 600 people , with death rates as high as 100% in some cases.
These viruses usually cause fever and other serious symptoms, such as brain swelling and difficulty breathing. They are thought to be carried by bats and can spread to humans through their saliva or urine. Horses are also thought to be carriers.
Thanks to new technology that allows scientists to study the genetics of viruses, they’ve now found nearly 20 species of henipaviruses around the world. These viruses have been found on every continent except Antarctica, including places like Ghana, China, Australia and Brazil. This shows that henipaviruses are probably common in nature, and new ones could pop up almost anywhere.
For example, in China, a virus called Mojang virus was linked to the deaths of three workers who were exposed to it in a mine. Another virus, Langya, spread by shrews , caused an outbreak in which 35 people got sick – although they all recovered.
So far, other henipaviruses haven’t caused human infections, but the potential is there.
The rapid growth in our understanding of these viruses comes from improvements in technology and global efforts to study diseases. But it also reminds us that viruses can suddenly jump from animals to humans in unpredictable ways.
Whether a virus can harm humans depends on how well it can infect human cells, and how badly it affects the body. Some viruses cause mild symptoms, while others can lead to life-threatening diseases. Studying these viruses requires scientists to look closely at their genetic code and run laboratory tests to understand how they work.
Henipaviruses can infect many animals, including bats, horses, monkeys, dogs, cats and even rodents. This means they are more adaptable and have a higher chance of jumping from animals to humans in different ways. In comparison, a virus like measles can only infect humans, which makes it less likely to spread to other species.
No drugs or vaccines … yet
There is no cure for henipavirus infections, but researchers are working on a vaccine for Nipah virus . Some new treatments, such as monoclonal antibodies, are also being developed but aren’t ready for use yet. This makes Nipah and Hendra viruses major public health concerns. The World Health Organization has called for more research to help fight them.
While there’s no evidence that Camp Hill virus has infected any humans yet – and the chances of it doing so are low – its discovery in North America is a reminder that viruses can emerge anywhere. Even though shrews usually live in forests and don’t come into much contact with people, the potential for the virus to spread remains a worry.
The more we learn about these viruses, the better we’ll be at creating vaccines that can protect us from both known and new threats. Keeping up with research and staying prepared is crucial to protecting global health from future outbreaks.
