Melaka virus (MELV) is a bat-borne virus. It was first isolated in a human in
Melaka
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
, Malaysia in 2006. A bat reservoir was suspected because traceback analysis revealed that the patient had been exposed to a bat prior to the onset of infection. Melaka virus causes a non-fatal respiratory tract illness in humans.
[Chua KB, Voon K, Yu M, Keniscope C, Rasid KA, Wang LF. 2011. Investigation of a potential zoonotic transmission of orthoreovirus associated with acute influenza-like illness in an adult patient. PLoS ONE. 6(10): e25434.]
Virology
Melaka virus is a nonenveloped, segmented, double-stranded RNA virus. Having a segmented genome facilitates reassortment. Melaka is a fusogenic virus which enhances virulence in its ability to carry out cell-cell fusion.
Transmission
Transmission is believed to be human to human through droplet respiration. The patient was the sole member of his family to be exposed to the bat, yet three members of his family became ill with the virus.
See also
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Orphan virus
An orphan virus is a virus that is not associated with a disease but may possess pathogenicity.
Some orphan viruses include adeno-associated virus (Parvoviridae), human herpesvirus 7 (Herpesviridae), human foamy virus (Retroviridae), Human Reoviru ...
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Xi River virus
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Cell-cell fusogens
References
External links
MicrobiologyBytes- Reoviruses
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15706452
Viral diseases
Bat virome
Reoviruses
Zoonoses