''Menangle pararubulavirus'', also called Menangle virus, is a virus that infects
pigs,
humans and
bats.
History
Menangle virus was first identified in 1997 after a piggery in
Menangle near
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
NSW,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
experienced a high number of stillbirths and
deformities during
farrowing. Two workers at the piggery came down with an unexplained serious
flu-like illness, but subsequently recovered. They later tested positive for Menangle virus antibodies. This outbreak was quickly controlled through disinfection and temporary depopulation of individual units in the pig farm.
Vector
The source of the outbreak may have been a nearby population of
fruit bats or ''flying foxes''. Bats appear to be an
asymptomatic
In medicine, any disease is classified asymptomatic if a patient tests as carrier for a disease or infection but experiences no symptoms. Whenever a medical condition fails to show noticeable symptoms after a diagnosis it might be considered asy ...
host
A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it.
Host may also refer to:
Places
* Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County
People
*Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman
* Michel Host ...
. Infection is thought to occur through serious contact with bodily fluids from infected animals (i.e.
blood and possibly
foetal matter).
Menangle is related to the recently discovered
Tioman virus
Tioman Island ( ms, Pulau Tioman) is a mukim and an island in Rompin District, Pahang, Malaysia. It is located off the east coast of the state, and is some long and wide. It has seven villages, the largest and most populous being Kampung Te ...
which is also bat-borne.
Menangle is one of three recently discovered
zoonotic viruses in Australia that are carried by bats. The others are
Hendra virus and
Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV or bat
rabies).
Virus appearance
Like all paramyxoviruses, Menangle virus has an envelope, negative sense ssRNA, and pleomorphic (both spherical and elongated forms) proteins (HN and fusion) which protrude from the surface as spikes that help the virus get into cells. As an RNA virus, it must enter the cell to replicate.
Clinical signs and symptoms
Swine: Reduced conception rates; reduced litter size; large number of stillborn fetuses (some with severe skeletal/craniofacial defects); virus found in the lungs, brain and heart of stillborn piglets; No signs of illnesses in pigs of any age after birth.
Humans: Illness lasts for 10–14 days; fever; chills; rigors; drenching sweats; malaise; headache; red spotty rash.
Bats: Asymptomatic
Post-mortem lesions
Hydranencephaly: meaning the cerebral cortex has a large cavity where the cerebral hemispheres are missing and is instead filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
Limbs are often rigid and hyperflexed.
Uneven alignment of upper and lower teeth.
External links
CSIRO Menangle FactsheetCSIRO slide showing Menangle virus in piglet brainMenangle (Paramyxo) virus infection in pigs – trial eradication (1999)Australian Pork Limited
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
/
University of Sydney
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menangle Virus
Diseases and disorders in Australia
Viral diseases
Rubulaviruses