Important Facts For Prelims
Cat Que Virus
- 30 Sep 2020
- 2 min read
Why in News
Scientists from the Pune-based Maximum Containment Laboratory and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology have noted the presence of antibodies against the Cat Que virus (CQV) in two human serum samples.
- This indicates that the CQV virus may become a public health pathogen and may lead to a pandemic if it spreads.
Key Points
- The positivity in human serum samples and the replication capability of CQV in mosquitoes points towards a possible disease-causing potential in the Indian scenario.
- CQV belongs to the Simbu serogroup virus of the genus Orthobunyavirus.
- It was first isolated in 2004 from mosquitoes in northern Vietnam. It has also been reported in China.
- CQV comes under the category of Arthropod-borne viruses.
- Arthropods are a group of invertebrate animals including insects, spiders etc.
- It is found in pigs and Culex mosquitoes. Birds such as the Jungle Myna may also act as a host.
- Mosquitoes of Culex species also cause Japanese Encephalitis.
- It infects both humans and livestock species.
- Humans are infected through mosquito bites.
- Other viruses that belong to the same genus as CQV and are similarly transmitted through mosquitoes include the Cache valley virus (causes meningitis), La Crosse virus (causes pediatric encephalitis), Jamestown Canyon virus (causes Jamestown Canyon encephalitis), and the Guaroa virus (causes febrile illness).
