Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Image courtesy : Freepik
India’s highest biomedical research institution, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s National Institute of Virology of India, has warned that a recent orthobunyavirus (a member of the bunyavirus virus group family), Cat Que Virus (CQV), may cause a pandemic.
CQV is first isolated in northern Vietnam from mosquitoes and children with viral encephalitis in 2004 and the complete genome sequence of the virus (SC0806) is isolated from Culex mosquitoes in Sichuan, China, in 2015.
Besides, according to the Indian media The Indian Express, Times Now and Taiwan media CM Media, CQV is causing concerns with its global impact on human health. They reported that large numbers of mosquitoes in China and pigs in Vietnam were infected with CQV and people in India were recently infected with the orthobunyavirus.
ICMR's National Institute of Virology issued an early warning that the orthobunyavirus has the possibility of infecting humans and causing illness. At present, two people in India have tested positive for CQV.
CQV's hosts are some mosquito species and pigs
India’s highest biomedical research institution ICMR is also worried about the outbreak of another virus in China and Vietnam and is raising concerns about its global impact on human health.
According to The Indian Express, the Culex mosquitoes in China and pigs in Vietnam were infected with CQV in large numbers and have already infected humans in some areas of India.
To this end, the National Institute of Virology in Pune, India, under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conducted a follow-up survey. The study results were published in the latest issue of the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR).
The study revealed that from 2014 to 2017, 883 human samples were collected from all over India, of which 2 samples were anti-CQV IgG antibody positive, indicating that these two people were infected with CQV, and it also means that the virus has the ability to infect the human body.
The study pointed out that CQV can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and pigs. There are already antibodies to CQV in pigs raised locally in China, which proves that CQV has formed a "natural cycle" in China and has the ability to pass from mosquitoes to pigs and it has the ability to spread among other animal groups.
How dangerous is CQV to the world?
The study in IJMR sates, “Virus susceptibility experiments indicated that three species of mosquito, namely Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus supported multiplication of CQV by intrathoracic as well as artificial membrane/oral feeding routes.”
The mosquito species Aedes aegypti is found in Singapore and many tropical countries. It is responsible for spreading dengue, chikungunya and, Zika fever etc.
Culex mosquitoes are also prevalent in Singapore and are responsible for Japanese B- Encephalitis, according to pest control experts at Rentokil.
The ICMR researchers concluded that the presence of CQV IgG antibody in human serum samples and the replication capability of the virus in mosquitoes indicated a possible disease-causing potential of CQV in the Indian scenario.
The researchers added that the screening of more human and swine serum samples is required as a proactive measure for understanding the prevalence of this neglected tropical virus.
The symptoms of CQV include fever, headaches, chills, muscle, joint pains, meningitis (inflammation of the meninges), and paediatric encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans.
Chinese expert begs to differ from Indian studies
Since CQV has shown the possibility of infecting humans, the question to be asked is, how infectious is CQV and will it cause a global outbreak like covid?
In this regard, Hu Nengyou, the former director of the Department of Laboratory Medicine of Zhudong Hospital, has analyzed that the virus is transmitted by mosquitoes as well. In addition to being directly bitten by mosquitoes, pigs and small animals that have been bitten by mosquitoes can also become virus hosts. However, he emphasized that this type of transmission is "certainly incomparable" with covid, which can be transmitted from person to person and is spread by droplets, and it is more difficult to cause a global outbreak.
Hu Nengyou also pointed out that after reviewing the research in India, only 2 out of more than 800 human samples in India were positive, which was less than 0.2%. In addition, these human samples were available from 2014 to 2017, and the research report was only proposed this year that the CQV outbreak has not been heard for such a long period of time, and the infectious power should not be that strong.
Hu Nengyou also suggested that before going to China, Vietnam and other relevant areas, first, avoid being bitten by vector mosquitoes. Second, stop handling pigs and avoid eating pork. Third, avoid touching or eating small animals that may be bitten by vector mosquitoes.
Still need to pay attention to their own safety to avoid breeding of vector mosquitoes
In addition to the conclusion that the National Institute of Virology of India conducted this research and investigation, in addition to the conclusion that it may have an impact on India, its main purpose is to understand the characteristics of CQV and the route of transmission, and to find a quick screening method as soon as possible. It is advanced deployment and early prevention that matters.
Although CQV is not as infectious as covid, Culex mosquitoes and pigs are both hosts of CQV, and encephalitis and high fever may also appear after human infection. So it is still necessary to pay attention to epidemic prevention and control.
Indian media "E-Times" interviewed senior physician Guduru Narayana Prudhvi Raj who said, "Everyone should be cautious and take preventive measures, including removing stagnant water in the environment such as potted plants", calling for the elimination of vector mosquitoes to prevent infection of CQV.
Refs :
Explained Desk, What is Cat Que virus?, The Indian Express, https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-cat-que-virus-does-it-infect-humans-6634674/
Hu Zhikai, Russia, India report new virus outbreak in China, experts warn it can infect humans, CM Media, https://www.cmmedia.com.tw/home/articles/24184
Salome Phelamei, Cat Que virus: All you need to know about the new China's virus which can trigger a pandemic in India, Times Now, https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/cat-que-virus-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-china-s-virus-which-can-trigger-a-pandemic-in-india/660112
Cat Que virus under "Bunyavirus", Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/bunyavirus#ref1286955
Mosquito Species in Singapore, https://www.rentokil.com.sg/mosquitoes/species/
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