Borealpox virus explained

Borealpox virus (BRPV)[1] (formerly Alaskapox virus; AKPV)[2] is a species of the Orthopoxvirus genus first documented in 2015 in Alaska, United States.[3] As of February 2024, there are seven reported cases of illness, one of which became fatal due to a weakened immune system. The first six cases occurred in Fairbanks North Star Borough and the first fatality occurred in Kenai Peninsula Borough.[4] [5] [6]

Discovery

In July 2015, a woman visited a clinic in Fairbanks, Alaska, with lesions that were confirmed to contain an Orthopox virus but did not match any known members of the genus. Subsequent genetic analysis established that the woman, who recovered, had been infected with a novel Orthopox virus.[3] The name Alaskapox virus was proposed after a full analysis of its genome was published in 2019.[7] The name Alaskapox virus was changed to borealpox virus on March 27, 2024.

Subsequent cases

In 2020, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (ADHSS) announced the second known infection of AKPV in another Fairbanks woman.[8] Two additional cases were identified in the Fairbanks area in the summer of 2021,[9] and by February 2024, seven cases total had been reported to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology.[10] Until December 2023, all known cases had been mild, not requiring hospitalization.[9] [10]

In late January 2024, a Kenai man with an immunocompromising condition diagnosed with AKPV died, becoming the first death and first reported case outside of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.[6] The patient had stated that a stray cat had scratched him near the site the lesion appeared and that he sought medical attention due to a tender red bump in his armpit in September 2023. Despite some sources claiming that the man died directly as a result of AKPV,[11] [2] his death has instead been attributed to kidney failure,[12] although it has been said that there may have been some connection between his immunocompromised status and the lesion on his arm that resulted in his death.[13]

Signs and symptoms

In the identified cases, AKPV causes small lesions on the skin that heal after a few weeks, according to the ADHSS,[4] but the first known patient indicated the lesion took six months to fully resolve.[3] Other reported symptoms include joint or muscle pain and swollen lymph nodes.[4]

Transmission

Transmission of the virus to humans is hypothesized to be via small animals,[9] [14] though it is not yet clear specifically how this occurs.[4] As of 2021, there was not established evidence of transmission among humans.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Thomas S. (2024). Plotting the major proteins of borealpox virus https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4165453/v2
  2. News: . Alaska man is first reported person to die of Alaskapox virus; exposure may be linked to stray cat. CBS News. 13 February 2024. 15 February 2024.
  3. Springer. Yuri P.. Hsu. Christopher H.. Werle. Zachary R.. Olson. Link E.. Cooper. Michael P.. Castrodale. Louisa J.. Fowler. Aisha. McCollum. Andrea M.. Goldsmith. Cynthia S.. Emerson. Ginny L.. Wilkins. Kimberly. Doty. Jeffrey B.. Burgado. Jillybeth. Gao. JinXin. Patel. Nishi. Mauldin. Matthew R.. Reynolds. Mary G.. Satheshkumar. Panayampalli S.. Davidson. Whitni. Li. Yu. McLaughlin. Joseph B.. Novel Orthopoxvirus Infection in an Alaska Resident. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 64. 12. 1737–1741. 2017. 10.1093/cid/cix219. 28329402. 5447873.
  4. Web site: Frequently asked questions about Alaskapox virus. Alaska Department of Health and Human Services. 3 July 2022. 2021. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702215750/https://health.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/id/siteassets/pages/Alaskapox/onepager_Alaskapox.pdf. live.
  5. News: 13 February 2024. Elderly Alaska man is first reported person to die of recently discovered Alaskapox virus. 14 February 2024. AP News.
  6. Web site: State reports first known fatal case of Alaskapox. 9 February 2024. Hollander. Zaz. Anchorage Daily News.
  7. Gigante. CM. Gao. J. Tang. S. McCollum. AM. Wilkins. K. Reynolds. MG. Davidson. W. McLaughlin. J. Olson. VA. Li. Y. Genome of Alaskapox Virus, A Novel Orthopoxvirus Isolated from Alaska. Viruses. 11. 8. 708. 2019. 10.3390/v11080708. 31375015. free. 6723315.
  8. News: Berman . Annie . A Fairbanks woman was recently diagnosed with the second known case of 'Alaskapox' . 2 July 2022. Anchorage Daily News. 2 October 2020. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702213731/https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2020/10/01/a-fairbanks-woman-was-recently-diagnosed-with-the-second-known-case-of-alaskapox/. live.
  9. News: Berman. Annie. 3rd and 4th known cases of 'Alaskapox' — both mild — were recently diagnosed in the Fairbanks area. 2 July 2022. Anchorage Daily News. 14 September 2021. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702213732/https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/science/2021/09/14/3rd-and-4th-known-cases-of-alaskapox-both-mild-were-recently-diagnosed-in-the-fairbanks-area/. live.
  10. Web site: Fatal Alaskapox Infection in a Southcentral Alaska Resident. State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin. 9 February 2024.
  11. News: 13 February 2024. What is Alaskapox, the virus that killed an elderly man?. 15 February 2024. WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm.
  12. News: Cullinan. Maeve. 12 February 2024. Elderly man becomes first ever recorded death from 'Alaskapox'. The Daily Telegraph. The man who died from AKPV was immunocompromised and undergoing treatment for cancer, leading to complications after one of his skin lesions became infected. This resulted in kidney failure and ultimately his death in late January..
  13. News: Thomson. Jess. 13 February 2024. Alaskapox Death Means Virus 'More Geographically Widespread' Than Thought . Newsweek. The patient's immunocompromised status likely contributed to illness severity..
  14. News: Forster. Victoria. New Virus Causing "Alaskapox" Found In Two More People In Fairbanks. 2 July 2022. Forbes. 18 September 2021. 3 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220703183204/https://connatix-d.openx.net/v/1.0/av?auid=539961199&schain=1.0,1!connatix.com,679698455578581,1,,,,&url=www.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Fvictoriaforster%2F2021%2F09%2F18%2Fnew-virus-causing-alaskapox-found-in-two-mor&cb=34f0f79d-ff50-4c81-b44b-d98d8264d8eb&vwd=526&vht=296&gdpr=0&gdpr_consent=undefined&us_privacy=. live.

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