The discovery of two new viruses on beetles was carried out in fruit gardens near residential areas in Yunnan province, raising concerns about the risk of transmission to livestock or humans.
The study, conducted by the local Institute of Disease Prevention of Yunnan, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, analyzed the kidneys of 142 butterflies of 10 different species, collected over 4 years at 5 locations in Yunnan.
The results showed that up to 22 types of viruses were detected, of which 20 were completely unknown.
Of particular concern are two viruses belonging to the henipa virus family - the same group as Nipah and Hendra - which have the ability to cause brain inflammation and severe respiratory failure in humans with high mortality rates.
These viruses were found on live fruit-eating beds near gardens near residential areas, raising warnings about the risk of infection through fruits contaminated with viral urine.
In addition to the virus, the team also discovered a new single-celled parasite, temporarily named Klossiella Yunnanensis, along with two common bacteria in the kidneys of thorns - one of which is a completely new species called Flavobacterium Yunnanensis.
