The recent human outbreak of shrew-borne Langya henipavirus (LayV) in China in 2022 has raised a public health concern. Preliminary data show that a wide range of shrew species in Europe harbour diverse henipaviruses with high identity to human pathogenic LayV, highlighting the importance of monitoring henipaviruses outside their known range. This project will provide systematic occurrence data on shrew-borne henipaviruses in Finland and serological data on human exposure to the viruses. In addition, this project aims to understand the molecular determinants of pathogenicity to elucidate the potential for spill-over events. The high pathogenicity of the viruses in the genus and the demonstrated potential for spillover from shrews to humans requires a thorough investigation of virus-host interactions. This project responds to the urgent need for more information on novel shrew-borne henipaviruses to elucidate their zoonotic potential, pathogenicity, distribution and origin.

2024

2029