A Zoonotic Orthonairovirus from Febrile Patients in China
A newly described tick-borne virus was identified in a study of febrile patients in China.
TL;DR
- The New England Journal of Medicine paper describes a zoonotic orthonairovirus identified in febrile patients in China.
- The study reports that 10.4% of 3,163 sampled patients tested positive for the virus, based on viral RNA or IgM antibodies.
- The paper and its coverage describe coinfections with Dabie bandavirus as associated with more severe complications.
The study identified Asian longhorned tick nairovirus in patients with febrile illness, using sequencing and viral isolation. The authors describe it as a distinct orthonairovirus. [1] [2]
Among 3,163 patients in the reported study, 10.4% tested positive for the virus; the paper also reports its detection in sampled ticks across multiple Chinese provinces. These findings characterize the study population and do not establish prevalence outside it. [1] [2]
The coverage notes that coinfected patients had more complications than patients with Dabie bandavirus alone. The authors say the viruses share regions and a tick vector, raising a diagnostic distinction for affected areas. [1] [2]
Why it matters
Identifying a second tick-borne virus in a region where another febrile disease circulates adds a pathogen-surveillance and diagnostic question.
Editor's note
The headline follows the peer-reviewed paper. Epidemiologic estimates are limited to the sampled patients and ticks.