2024-08-12 14:18:25
Since early June, India has experienced Worst epidemic caused by Kindipura virus For more than 20 years. At least 38 people, mostly children and teenagers, have died from the infection.
This baculovirus belongs to the same family as the rabies virus. Mainly Submitted Sandflies are small midges whose females feed on blood. However, mosquitoes and ticks can also spread it.
Initial symptoms are similar to those of the flu but can progress rapidly (within 24 to 48 hours) encephalitisin other words, inflammation and edema (swelling) affecting the brain, May cause coma or even death. Children under 15 years of age are the most vulnerable patients.
Exactly how the virus enters the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and causes encephalitis remains poorly understood. The virus is believed to be spread through the saliva of infected insects, which bite and suck blood. The virus then spreads into the bloodstream, infected immune cells Called monocytes (a type of white blood cell). There it thrives, protected from the immune system. It is then transported to the central nervous system and enters the brain by disrupting the blood-brain barrier, which protects this vital organ (and the spinal cord).
Six hours after infection begins, the Kindipura virus secretes a protein called a phosphoprotein into brain cells, which could explain why Death comes so quickly.
Unfortunately, there are currently no antiviral treatments or vaccines.
A relatively new threat, exacerbated by climate change
Kindipura virus is named after a village in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The disease was first identified here in 1965. That year, 329 children The virus tested positive and 183 people died from the infection. In 2005, during an outbreak in Gujarat (northwestern India), 26 cases were detected, including 1 High mortality rate (78%).
Latest outbreak still affecting Gujarat 100 people. It has particularly serious consequences for infected children under 15 years of age. At the time, the rapid spread of the virus and the severity of symptoms caused concern public health authority.
Since the virus was discovered in 1965, most cases have affected the Indian subcontinent. However, things may be changing: the geographical distribution of the virus is expanding beyond India’s borders. This phenomenon has been found especially in sandflies In West Africa, 1991 and 1992and among them Senegalese hedgehog (Between 1990 and 1996). Antibodies against Kindipura virus were also detected wild monkey in Sri Lanka in 1993, suggesting that they were also exposed to the virus.
In Sri Lanka, macaques are infected with the Kindipura virus. geogphotos/alami stock photos
The emergence of Kindipura virus may be related to climate change, and its spread An increase in temperature is beneficial to.
Several other insect-borne viral diseases (ARthropod-BOrne VIRUSes) Progress has also been made in recent years Due to climate change. This is especially true for several diseases caused by mosquito-borne viruses, What is Zika virus?that comes from dengue even a virus Nipah.
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