Wetland virus
| Wetland virus | |
|---|---|
| Virus classification | |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Realm: | Riboviria |
| Kingdom: | Orthornavirae |
| Phylum: | Negarnaviricota |
| Class: | Bunyaviricetes |
| Order: | Hareavirales |
| Family: | Nairoviridae |
| Genus: | Orthonairovirus |
| Virus: | Wetland virus
|
Wetland virus or WELV is a tick borne Orthonairovirus which can infect humans. It can produce fever, headache, dizziness, malaise, arthritis and less commonly petechiae, localized lymphadenopathy. Complications may include neurological symptoms.[1][2]
Virology
The Wetland virus orthonairovirus (WELV) is a member of the genus Orthonairovirus, family Nairoviridae[1] of RNA viruses. It was first identified in 2019 in a Chinese person in Jinzhou, Liaoning province Northeast China after a visit to a wetland park in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia. Three different strains were identified one from the patient and two from ticks.[1]
Its sequence is most similar to the Tofla virus from Japan.[1]
Hosts and transmission
The Wetland virus was found in mice, sheep, pigs, cows, and horses, but not dogs. It was found in about 2% of 14,500 different ticks in Northeast China with the highest prevalence (6%) in Haemaphysalis concinna.[2]
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of infection with the Wetland virus are fever, headache, dizziness, malaise, myalgia (muscle pain), arthritis, and back pain. Less commonly there are petechiae and localized lymphadenopathy.[1] One person also had severe neurological symptoms, but all recovered without sequelae.[1] Symptoms and signs resemble those of Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, and the differential diagnosis includes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome and spotted fever.[1]
Treatment
Nucleoside analogs have been shown to have significant promise in treating WELV virus infections[3] and is in clinical stages.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Zhang, Xiao-Ai; Ma, Yi-Dan; Zhang, Yun-Fa; Hu, Zhen-Yu; Zhang, Jing-Tao; Han, Shuo; Wang, Gang; Li, Shuang; Wang, Xi; Tang, Fang; Liang, Wen-Jun; Yuan, Hong-Xia; Zhao, Jia-Qi; Jiang, Lan-Fen; Zhang, Lei (2024-09-05). "A New Orthonairovirus Associated with Human Febrile Illness". New England Journal of Medicine. 391 (9): 821–831. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2313722. ISSN 0028-4793. PMID 39231344.
- ^ a b Yuan, Hong-Xia; Lv, Xiao-Long; Zhang, Mei-Qi; Si, Guang-Qian; Zhao, Zhi-Jun; Han, Xiao-Hu; Hou, Zhi-Jun; Cui, Ning; Zhang, Lei; Ma, Yi-Dan; Wu, Si-Qian; Yang, Xin; Mu, Han-Zheng; Peng, Cong; Chen, Ming (2025-12-31). "Genetic diversity and expanded epidemic area of novel tick-borne pathogen wetland virus in ticks, wild and domestic animals, and patient in China". Emerging Microbes & Infections. 14 (1). doi:10.1080/22221751.2025.2502003. ISSN 2222-1751. PMC 12100960.
- ^ Wang, Rui; Wang, Xi; Zhu, Jianzhong; Li, Hao; Liu, Wei (2025-04-01). "Effectiveness of nucleoside analogs against Wetland virus infection". Antiviral Research. 236 106114. doi:10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106114. ISSN 0166-3542.