Hart Park virus, or HP virus, is a single-stranded RNA arbovirus that is primarily transmitted through mosquitoes. The HP virus is classified in the

Rhabdoviridae ''Rhabdoviridae'' is a family of negative-strand RNA viruses in the order ''Mononegavirales''. Vertebrates (including mammals and humans), invertebrates, plants, fungi and protozoans serve as natural hosts. Diseases associated with member virus ...

family and is related to the viral agents that cause

rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vi ...

and

vesicular stomatitis ''Indiana vesiculovirus'', formerly ''Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus'' (VSIV or VSV) is a virus in the family ''Rhabdoviridae''; the well-known ''Rabies lyssavirus'' belongs to the same family. VSIV can infect insects, cattle, horses and pigs ...

. The exact date of discovery of this virus is uncertain, but its presence in the entomological community dates back as far as 1964. Because of its relatively recent discovery, its exact effect on hosts is uncertain. Currently, there is no known disease affiliated with the Hart Park virus.

Transmission

The western encephalitis mosquito, or ''

Culex tarsalis ''Culex tarsalis'', also known as Western Encephalitis Mosquito, is a mosquito species that appears in southern California. The species has black and white banding on the legs. The species is a major vector of Saint Louis encephalitis and Weste ...

'', is one of the common mosquito vectors for the HP virus because of its prevalence in North America. Wild birds are the most frequent host of the HP virus because they are the target of blood-feeding ''Cx. tarsalis'' mosquitoes. Female ''Cx. tarsalis'' mosquitoes primarily feed on birds but in late summer, their blood feeding on larger mammals such as man increases. The host transition from birds to humans plays a huge role in the potential for widespread viral infections of the HP virus and similar strains. One important find from recent studies, is that the HP virus seems unable to be transmitted transovarially from infected females to their offspring. This restricts the direct spread of the virus because the progeny do not inherit the Hart Park virus from their maternal parent. The Hart Park virus does not currently have a disease related to its infection in other animals, but its transmission through feral birds is a cause for concern. West Nile virus transmission cycle

Symptoms

Symptoms specific to the HP virus in humans have not been conclusive, however; symptoms of

RNA viruses ''Orthornavirae'' is a kingdom of viruses that have genomes made of ribonucleic acid (RNA), those genomes encoding an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The RdRp is used to transcribe the viral RNA genome into messenger RNA (mRNA) and to repli ...

include:

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pa ...

encephalitis Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. The severity can be variable with symptoms including reduction or alteration in consciousness, headache, fever, confusion, a stiff neck, and vomiting. Complications may include seizures, hallucinations, ...

, mild fever, and

hemorrhagic fever Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a diverse group of animal and human illnesses in which fever and hemorrhage are caused by a viral infection. VHFs may be caused by five distinct families of RNA viruses: the families ''Filoviridae'', ''Flav ...

. The primary hosts for the HP virus are wild birds. This make it harder to distinguish the warning signs of a possible HP infection.

Flanders virus

The Flanders virus is similar to the antigentic make-up of the Hart Park virus. Both the HP and Flanders viruses are part of the

family and are both agents of ''Culex'' mosquitoes. The Flanders virus was named after the town in which it was first discovered in 1960. This town, in New York is a hamlet that provides the ideal habitat for mosquitoes because of its relatively long coastline. The access to large standing bodies of water are perfect nesting grounds for the ''Culex'' mosquitoes to begin laying eggs, away from potential predators. Similarly, the Flanders virus typically infects wild birds. The primary targets of the Flanders virus are red-winged blackbirds, house sparrows, and starlings.

Prevention

The routine prevention technique practiced by experts is isolation from potentially infected organisms, primarily feral birds and mosquitoes. It remains unclear whether the HP virus can spread to a new host posthumously, but professionals advise to avoid any deceased animals found in the wild. Mosquitoes pose a constant threat toward the transmission of the HP virus due to their wide range of hosts.

References

* * Johnson, Harald N. "DigitalCommons." Site. University of Nebraska—Lincoln, n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. * * Reisen, William. "The Western Encephalitis Mosquito." Rutgers SEBS Dept. of Entomology. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. * Thomas, Nancy J., D. Bruce. Hunter, and Carter T. Atkinson. Infectious Diseases of Wild Birds. Ames, IA: Blackwell Pub., 2007. Print. * "University of California Mosquito Research Program." University of California Mosquito Research Program. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. * * "Rhabdoviridae Infections." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. {{Taxonbar, from=Q17146723 Rhabdoviridae