Deadly Virus Found in U.S. Sparks Concerns of Potential Contagion to Humans

Will America be facing another deadly virus?

According to researchers at The University of Queensland in Australia, a microorganism called the Camp Hill virus was discovered in the shrews of Alabama, stoking fears about the potential contagion to humans.
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Per the experts, the virus could be the first "henipavirus" in North America, meaning it's a zoonotic genus and can spread from animals to humans.
Dr. Rhys Parry from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences explained in a message on The University of Queensland's website, "Henipaviruses have caused serious disease and death in people and animals in other regions."

"The closest known henipavirus to Camp Hill virus that has caused disease in humans is Langya virus, which crossed from shrews to humans in China," she added. "This indicates that shrew-to-human transmission can occur."
Parry also pointed out how henipavirus is related to the Hendra virus, which has a 70 percent fatality rate. "The discovery of a henipavirus in North America is highly significant, as it suggests these viruses may be more globally distributed than previously thought," the expert said.

Specifically, short-tailed shrews — a small mammal commonly found in the U.S. and Canada — were found to have contracted the Camp Hill virus. However, scientists are still trying to determine how severe of a risk it poses to humans.
Dr. Ariel Isaacs, also a researcher working on the study, claimed, "The next step for this work is to characterize key surface proteins on the virus that are involved in cell entry to broaden our understanding of the virus family and identify better ways to protect against it."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the people who risk infection are those exposed to sick creatures (primarily bats and pigs). The virus can also spread to humans who consume foods contaminated by those animals' body fluids.
The CDC suggests avoiding "unprotected contact" with an ill being and their body fluids. It's also imperative to adhere to safe food precautions. If vets or animal specialists have to handle an infected animal, use personal protective equipment and barriers in medical settings.

Unfortunately, there is no antiviral cure for henipavirus infections at the moment.
"Therapy consists of supportive care and management of complications," the CDC noted, indicating how to treat viral infection.