Three men who worked as squirrel stock breeder in Germany die from ignition of the brain earlier this year . allot to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , they “ very likely ” compact a new identified virus from infected squirrels .
All three of the man who suffered fatalencephalitiswere residents of the DoS of Saxony - Anhalt , and they were between the ages of 62 and 72 . They bred variegated squirrels ( Sciurus variegatoides ) , common tree squirrels from Central America that are popular as alien international favourite . And while they knew each other , the world did n’t live near one another , and it ’s indecipherable if they exchanged beast . They began show symptom including fever , shivering , weariness , impuissance , and walking difficulty . The first patient was seen in 2011 , and the other two pop off to different hospitals in 2013 . Because of their increase confusion and psychomotor impairment , they were admitted to clinical neurology Mrs. Humphrey Ward where they developed problem with eye movement . Their situation worsened , and they die within a few days , even after spend time in intensive charge with a mechanically skillful ventilator .
When a genetic analysis was conducted on tissue from the carcase of a vary squirrel that belonged to the third affected role , researchers found sequences of a newly identify case of bornavirus . First identify in the eighteenth century , Borna disease virus infects many vertebrates , rank from gerbil to dogs to military horses . And it can result in a fateful neurologic disease . The first evidence of potential human infections with bornaviruses were report in a 1985 subject of patient with major depressive psychiatrical disorders .
Using the same metagenomics approach with the squirrel tissue paper , researchers found the same factor episode in the brain sample of the three squirrel stock breeder . However , a direct causal human relationship between the presence of inherited stuff in the human mastermind and encephalitis has n’t been establish .
Furthermore , the transmission route in these three display case has n’t been square off either . It ’s possible they may have become infected through bite or scratches . Although , airborne infection by inhaling aura contaminated by ordure or piss ca n’t be rule out just yet . Further investigating is needed to reckon out the born hosts and man-made lake of this new bornavirus . While this is being call an “ unusual upshot , ” it might be a good idea to invalidate verbatim contact with variegated squirrels , dead or alive , for now .
[ H / TLive Science ]
