Langya virus outbreak in China, 2022: Are we on the verge of a new pandemic?
Shehroze Tabassum, Aroma Naeem, Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Abdulqadir J. Nashwan
Abstract
Langya virus is a zoonotic virus that belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae; genus Henipavirus with close relation to species; HeV and NiV. Its animal reservoir is shrews, others being domestic goats and dogs. Its symptoms can range from mild respiratory illness to fatal encephalitis. The first case of the Langya virus emerged in China after its detection in a 53-year-old farmer who presented with febrile illness and had a history of animal contact. Later a study that recruited 35 febrile patients from 3 different hospitals of China detected the Langya virus genome in 26 patients declaring it an outbreak in China. Most of these patients were farmers; however, these cases did not show any trace of linkage among each other that could have led to more understanding of the exact mechanism of transmission among humans. Like many other nations, China faces climatic crises that favor zoonotic spillovers. Studies are still going on to formulate ways to detect Langya virus. Currently, the only management available involves supportive care. Trials in laboratories have shown efficacious results with ribavirin. Community-based surveillance strategies and extensive research on vaccine development are the need of the hour to contain this disease from becoming a global pandemic.