United States: A mole-like animal presented at the Auburn University lab yielded a newly discovered henipavirus known as Camp Hill virus, named after its Alabama sampling location, according to the publication Emerging Infectious Diseases.
More about the news
The expert, Dr. Wendy Hood of The Hood Lab at AL.com, obtained the northern short-tailed shrew, which scientists used to detect the Camp Hill virus that earned its name from the Tallapoosa County town where researchers obtained the specimen.
Dr. Rhys Parry expressed his findings in the article this month about the need for additional research to determine the risk level the Camp Hill virus poses to human beings.
Dr. Parry serves as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Queensland’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences in Australia.
https://t.co/6iCjH80H2a
— StanleyRLeszewski (@StanLeszewski) February 5, 2025
Potentially deadly zoonotic virus found in US, sparking concerns of spread to humans
The Camp Hill virus was detected in shrews in Alabama, researchers say
The study author Parry warned that medical science currently shows other known henipaviruses become deadly for human health when detected within the human population.
The Hendra virus discovered its initial case in Australia, killing up to 70 percent of victims, according to the research by Parry, while Nipah virus outbreaks in Southeast Asia resulted in death rates of 40 percent to 75 percent.
According to Parry, “Given the high case-fatality rates associated with henipaviruses, detection of CHV [Camp Hill virus] in North America raises concerns about past and potential future spillover events,” al.com reported.
“Further investigation is needed into the potential for human infection and strategies for mitigating transmission,” the researcher continued, stating the need for more investigation.
“Our findings help elucidate the prevalence and geographic distribution of CHV in [northern short-tail] shrews.”
“The exact transmission mechanisms of shrew henipaviruses remain unclear, but direct contact with infected animals or their” urine or feces “poses a risk to humans,” Parry mentioned.