Islamabad: Scientists have identified a new bat-borne virus resembling the deadly Nipah virus, raising concerns that it may already be spreading silently among humans without being detected.
According to details, the virus was discovered in patients who initially showed symptoms similar to Nipah virus infection but later tested negative for Nipah. Researchers fear that the newly identified virus may have been circulating undiagnosed in humans.
Nipah virus is considered one of the most dangerous zoonotic diseases, known to cause severe brain inflammation, with a fatality rate of up to 75 percent.
Experts from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health have named the newly discovered pathogen Pteropine Orthoreovirus (PRV). Clinically, its symptoms closely resemble those of Nipah virus, including severe respiratory and neurological complications.
Researchers believe the virus may have gone undetected for a long time due to similarities with Nipah virus symptoms and limited diagnostic surveillance.
The virus was identified in five patients in Bangladesh whose throat swab samples tested negative for Nipah virus. All patients had recently consumed raw date palm sap, which is widely known as a transmission source for bat-borne viruses such as Nipah, rabies, and Marburg.
Patients developed severe respiratory and neurological symptoms. In some cases, fatigue, breathing difficulties, and problems with mobility persisted for months after the initial illness. One patient later died, although it could not be conclusively determined whether PRV was the direct cause of death.
In a study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, researchers advised healthcare professionals to consider PRV infection in patients presenting with Nipah-like symptoms.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Nishesh Mishra, said the discovery highlights that consumption of raw date palm sap can facilitate the spread of dangerous viruses beyond Nipah, underscoring the urgent need for expanded surveillance systems.
Meanwhile, UK health authorities have confirmed that they are closely monitoring the recent Nipah virus outbreak in India’s West Bengal state, where testing of nearly 200 individuals is currently underway.