What is Rift Valley Fever virus that is spreading from animals to humans

Even as the world battles the Covid-19 virus, scientists have discovered yet another virus that spreads from animals to humans. The new virus is called Rift Valley Fever (RVF) virus. Although it is mainly a disease spreading in animals like cow, buffalo, sheep, goat, but cases of it infecting humans have also come to light.

Researchers at the Washington University, US have discovered the latest outbreak of the deadly Rift Valley Fever (RVF) virus and further how it directly infects the human cells. One of the leading scientists involved in the discovery is virologist from Kashmir, Dr Safder Ganaie. The discovery made by Dr Ganaie and his colleagues has been published in a journal titled, Cell. 

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Scientists have now found out how this virus infects the body, raising hopes that soon this virus can be controlled. Although most cases of Rift Valley (RVF) virus have been reported in African countries, the World Health Organisation has placed it in the list of diseases that can take the form of a epidemic in the near future.

This study has been done jointly by scientists from the University of Pittsburgh, University of Toronto, Harvard University and MIT. This team also includes virologist from Kashmir, Dr Safder Ganaie who took his Masters degree from Kashmir University.

How the virus infects the body?

According to WHO, it is spread by mosquitoes among domesticated animals which are then passed on to human beings.

In RVF, bleeding starts in animals and in many cases it proves to be fatal. It spreads to humans through animal blood, bodily secretions and tissues. 

It has been found that the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) virus spreads by mosquitoes and further enters the human cells through a protein.

When a mosquito bites an infected animal and then bites a human, then the Rift Valley Fever virus reaches humans through it. 

RVF virus starts spreading after a mosquito bite and then enters human cells through a protein normally involved in mopping up low-density lipoprotein.

Lipoprotein are substances made of protein and fat that carry cholesterol through your bloodstream.

The study was carried out by the US-based virologist Dr Ganaie and his team by disrupting 20,000 normal genes by using CRISPR technology.

It then found that the virus failed to infect cells that lacked the gene for LDL receptor-related protein 1, or LRP1.

Reports suggest miscarriage in pregnant women have increased by 4.5 times in Africa due to the RVF disease. Also premature babies are being born.