Camp Hill virus: Expert who predicted COVID says new virus may not lead to pandemic

A new zoonotic virus has been found in the United States’ Alabama, sparking fears of another pandemic.

According to researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia the new virus was discovered in shrews near the town of Camp Hill in Alabama. Named as the Camp Hill virus, the pathogen is part of the henipavirus family.

The disease is said to be the first henipavirus found in North America.


Henipavirus include some of the World Health Organization’s biggest pandemic threats and can kill up to 70 per cent of individuals infected, such as the Hendra and Nipah viruses, Daily Mail reported.

Dr Parry, one of the researchers at the University of Queensland said in an official statement more research was needed to understand if the Camp Hill virus was a threat to people.

Animal to human transmission possible?

According to researchers, the closest link to the Camp Hill virus is the Langya virus, which has been transmitted from shrews to humans in China.

The mutations of the Camp Hill virus will be key to any spread of the disease to humans. Researchers found the virus in the kidneys of the shrews, which indicates that the same organs would be affected in humans in case of a possible transmission.

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Experts sound alarm

According to Daily Mail, Dr David Dyjack, who works at the National Environmental Health Association as a public health expert, said the disease could be threatening for humanity and may lead to another pandemic.

But Dr David Burke, who predicted the coronavirus pandemic two decades before it emerged, told the outlet that the virus is not likely to lead to an epidemic.

Next research steps for Camp Hill virus

Researchers will now focus on key surface proteins on the virus and identify ways for better protection against it. Developing vaccines for the virus would be central to future research.

Risk of henipavirus infections

Travelers exposed to infected animals like bats and pigs or those who eat foods contaminated by the body fluids of those animals are at the highest risk of contracting henipavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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FAQs

1. What could henipavirus lead to?
Henipavirus can cause swelling in the brain, respiratory issues, kidney and liver damage and inflammation in the spinal cord and brain.

2. Is the Camp Hill virus limited to shrews only?
It’s not yet clear whether the diseases first manifested in shrews or was passed along by another host such as fruit bats.