Malayasian State Offended By Name Of Bat Virus

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Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Veterinary;  Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 02 Jul 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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The government of the state of Melaka in southern Malaysia is offended by the fact scientists have chosen to name a newly discovered bat-borne virus the Melaka virus.

Melaka's Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, said on Saturday that he was insulted by the idea of the state's name being used for a virus, according to a report in theStar online.

The Chief Minister said he would be sending an official letter of complaint to the Malaysian Health Ministry.

He said if the name was already official then he wanted it changed, and he would also send letters overseas to those countries who might be using the name.

Mohd Ali suggested the virus be named after the doctor or scientist who found it. "Malacca is a good state, beautiful and peaceful, not the birthplace of diseases," he said.

The virus was discovered by a team of Malaysian and Australian scientists led by Dr Chua Kaw Bing from the Malaysian Ministry of Health.

The scientists believe that the virus represents a new type of infectious disease emanating from animals called "zoonotic viruses".

The virus was first detected in May last year when a 39 year old man from Bemban in Melaka developed an acute respiratory illness characterized by high fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose. His children and his wife also caught the infection.

The symptoms are similar to that of the deadly strain of Avian flu but not fatal. The family was tested for avian flu and it was only when the scientists discovered that a week earlier a bat had flown into their home that they suspected it was a bat-borne disease that is spread by water droplets.

The symptoms include high fever for four days or so, temperature as high as 41 degrees C, cough, runny nose, feeling tired and finding it painful to swallow because of a swollen throat.

When they analysed the virus they found it was a close genetic match to one that was found nearly 20 years ago in fruit bats in Pulau Tioman, one of the many volcanic islands off the eastern coast of Malaysia.

When they tested 109 human volunteers in the island, they found 14 of them (13 per cent) had both the Pulau and Melaka viruses, said Dr Kaw Bing.

Further studies will now commence to develop diagnostic and surveillance tools and find out how the virus develops. The project will be a collaboration between Malaysia's Institute for Medical Research, the National Public Health Laboratory and the Australian Animal Health Laboratory.

Bats also carry SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). The scientists who did the research suggest that as more deforestation occurs and the bat's natural habitats diminish, we will see more of them encroaching on urban areas and we must be prepared for more bat-borne illnesses infecting humans.

The man from Melaka and his family have since made a full recovery.

Click here to learn more about Zoonotic viruses (wikipedia).

Written by: Catharine Paddock
Writer: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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