Identification of a new orthonairovirus associated with human febrile illness in China

The genus Orthonairovirus, which is part of the family Nairoviridae, includes the important tick-transmitted pathogens Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and Nairobi sheep disease virus, as well as many other poorly characterized viruses found in ticks, birds and mammals(1,2). In this study, we identified a new orthonairovirus, Songling virus (SGLV), from patients who reported being bitten by ticks in Heilongjiang Province in northeastern China. SGLV shared similar genomic and morphological features with orthonairoviruses and phylogenetically formed a unique clade in Tamdy orthonairovirus of the Nairoviridae family. The isolated SGLV induced cytopathic effects in human hepatoma cells in vitro. SGLV infection was confirmed in 42 hospitalized patients analyzed between 2017 and 2018, with the main clinical manifestations being headache, fever, depression, fatigue and dizziness. More than two-thirds (69%) of patients generated virus-specific antibody responses in the acute phase. Taken together, these results suggest that this newly discovered orthonairovirus is associated with human febrile illness in China.

Automated summary

A new Orthonairovirus, Songling virus (SGLV), was identified in patients bitten by ticks in Heilongjiang Province, China. SGLV displayed similar features to other Orthonairoviruses and formed a unique clade within the Tamdy Orthonairovirus in the Nairoviridae family. Infection with SGLV caused symptoms like headache, fever, depression, fatigue, and dizziness in hospitalized patients, with 69% developing virus-specific antibodies in the acute phase, indicating its association with human febrile illness in China.