Cat que virus infection

Cat que virus is an arbovirus belonging to the Simbu serogroup of the Orthobunyavirus genus and Bunyaviridae family. The serogroup is known to cause infection in humans as well as economically important livestock species.

Cat que virus was first isolated from mosquitoes in 2004 during arbovirus surveillance in cases of acute paediatric encephalitis in Vietnam and then in Uganda.

Though not much is known about the virus, studies have shown that pigs are its primary host. The virus has also been isolated from Culex mosquitoes from China, and earlier from birds like the jungle mayna. It can be transmitted through mosquito bites.

According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, antibodies against the cat que virus have been found in locally reared pigs in a Chinese province, indicating that the virus has a natural life cycle in the area.

As mentioned earlier, not much is known about the cat que virus. However, other viruses belonging to the same family can cause diseases such as encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever and meningitis (the virus was isolated when the researchers were looking for the cause of acute encephalitis in children). A child with encephalitis shows the following symptoms: 

• Headache
• Fever
• Light sensitivity
• Nausea and vomiting
• Lethargy
• Skin rashes
• Difficulty talking
• Loss of appetite
• Confusion
• Fainting or going into a coma

Pigs are suggested to be the primary mammalian host of this virus. This means that pigs harbour this virus and can be a source of infection. The jungle mayna has also been implicated to be a host of cat que virus.

However, as per the ICMR study, cat que virus spreads through mosquito bites. In particular, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can spread this disease.

Since the virus spreads through mosquito bites, one of the ways to prevent the infection is by preventing mosquito breeding in your area and to take proper measures to avoid mosquito bites. Here are some of the things you can do are:

• Wear full sleeve clothes when you go out, especially in open areas where there is a high chance of getting bitten by mosquitoes.
• Use mosquito repellants and nets.
• Avoid waterlogging near your home and offices. Make sure to change the water in your cooler or any small containers at least once a week.

The ICMR study suggested that the presence of this virus in animals here could mean that Asian countries may be susceptible to it.

The presence of animal hosts and susceptible mosquitoes in India indicates that the cat que virus may cause infections in this country. The study indicated that more human and animal samples should be screened to check for the prevalence of this virus in the population.

For the study, the researchers used real-time RT-PCR test, to look for the presence of viral DNA in serum (blood) samples. They also used ELISA based antibody tests to check for the presence of IgG antibodies in the given samples. 

Encephalitis is generally diagnosed through the apparent symptoms, blood tests to look for virus or antibodies, imaging tests like CT scan and MRI and EEG to check for any abnormalities in the brain. A lumbar puncture may also be done to check for infection in the cerebrospinal fluid.

No research is available so far on the treatment of cat que virus. However, encephalitis in children is treated on the basis of the child's age, symptoms and health in general. The child is given corticosteroid medications to reduce brain swelling, antiviral medications to control the infection (if that is the underlying cause), and medications to help control the fever and other symptoms associated with the infection.

Not much is known about the risks and complications of cat que virus infection. Most children with encephalitis recover. However, some may end up having problems like speech difficulty, memory loss or loss of muscle control that would then need therapy to manage.