What is SHFV? Scientists warn of deadly Ebola-like virus that could make jump from monkeys to humans

READ MORE

First case of human-to-pet transmission of monkeypox detected after dog contracts virus from gay couple

Are kids with autism at high risk for mental health conditions? Nearly 78% suffer from one, finds study

SHFV is a highly pathogenic virus commonly found in non-human primates. The first outbreaks were in USSR and a US-based NIH lab in the 1960s. Since then the Ebola-like virus has been detected in several types of primates including patas monkeys, vervet monkeys, and baboons. In a lab study, they found the virus is now able to transmit to a human receptor with ease and spread widely. 

In macaque monkeys, SHFV causes fever, fluid retention in the body's tissue, anorexia, and hemorrhaging. The disease is almost always fatal within about two weeks. Experts warn the virus could spill over from non-human primates to human cells, potentially causing major health issues and there is no cure. The symptoms in humans are expected to be similar to those of Ebola which results in fever, vomiting, organ failure, and internal bleeding.

As reported by DailyMail, the senior author of the study Dr Sara Sawyer said, "This animal virus has figured out how to gain access to human cells, multiply itself, and escape some of the important immune mechanisms we would expect to protect us from an animal virus." She added, "That's pretty rare. We should be paying attention to it." Author Professor Cody Warren said, "The similarities are profound between this virus and the simian viruses that gave rise to the HIV pandemic." A novel virus that could spread easily could cause a new pandemic. The Covid pandemic was also instigated by a novel virus and was hard to detect in the human immune system.