Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientists had discovered one more virus called ‘Cat Que Virus’ (CQV) that has the potential to cause disease in the country. This has been discovered amidst the country’s ongoing fight against coronavirus infection.

CQV is largely reported in China and Vietnam and comes under the category of Arthropod-borne viruses and are found in pigs and culex mosquitoes.

Scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), ICMR, Pune have discovered antibodies for the virus in 2 out of the 883 human serum samples being tested across states. The testing of these samples has indicated that these 2 people were infected with CQV at some point of time. These two test samples from Karnataka were found to be positive for anti-CQV IgG antibodies in 2014 and 2017.

As per the Livemint, ICMR scientists have said that availability of vector, primary mammalian host (swine) along with confirmation of CQV from the jungle myna bird indicates the potential of orthobunyavirus as a public health pathogen in India.

The ICMR further stated that Anti-CQV IgG antibody presence in human serum samples that were tested and the replication capability of CQV in mosquitoes specified that a possible disease-causing potential of CQV is there in India.

Scientists have developed molecular and serological tests for CQV, for screening of host populations and its replication kinetics in mosquitoes. The replication kinetics and susceptibility tests were conducted by using three different species of mosquitoes to recognize its behaviour in Indian mosquitoes.

The ICMR study presented that Indian mosquito breeds- Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. Tritaeniorhynchus are vulnerable to CQV. CQV are isolated and reported from mosquitoes, a natural host. The role of birds as a host for transmission of CQV and human infection with CQV reports are not yet documented. Domestic pigs are the primary mammalian host. The antibodies against the virus are found in swine reared in China locally.

Source: Hindustan Times