What is Cat Que virus from China?

Amid Covid-19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientists have found another virus, the ‘Cat Que Virus,’ reported mainly in China.

National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune researchers found antibodies for the virus in two out of the 883 human serum samples which were taken from various Indian states.

This showed that people had been infected with CQV at some point of time. These two samples out of the total 883 were from Karnataka and had tested positive in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

The  ICMR study showed, Indian mosquito breeds such as Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. Tritaeniorhynchus were susceptible to the virus. Apart from mosquitoes and pigs, birds such as the Jungle Myna may also act as a host.

The presence of the Cat Que virus has been largely reported in Culex mosquitoes in China and in pigs in northern Vietnam.

Culex mosquitoes can vary in color, typically appearing gray with white, silver, green or iridescent blue scales.

Probable symptoms of CQV among human beings can be paediatric encephalitis, meningitis and acute fever.  As per reports, the virus can be transmitted when a person is bit by a mosquito.

The findings of the study were published in the latest issue of Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR).