squirrel eating nut (Photo : Reuters)
A recent study revealed that a new deadly squirrel virus likely killed three breeders of the little animals. Over the course of two years, the German men developed the microbe progressive encephalitis or meningoencephalitis from the small rodents, resulting in their death within 2 to 4 months. At least two of the men had been scratched or bitten by the infected creatures.
The study was conducted by the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Riems, Germany. It was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Each of the three men was from the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. They had bred the species variegated squirrels, which are native to Central America and southern Mexico, and serve as exotic pets in Europe, according to Dispatch Times.
A genome analysis discovered a brand new bornavirus (virus in birds, rodents, cattle, etc.) in a "contact" squirrel and in the three men's brain tissues. It was probably the agent that caused their passing away.
Dr. Martin Beer, the study's lead author, said that the bornavirus species already known to scientists infect various warm-blooded animals. They are not linked to human diseases.
However, the new virus, variegated squirrel 1 bornavirus (VSBV-1), is different. It is probably a disease-causing pathogen that the variegated squirrel transmits.
Researchers' investigation of the squirrel virus started in late 2011 when the three men were treated with chemotherapy after developing symptoms such as fevers, shivers, confusion, and vision problems, according to MedPageToday. They still fell into a coma and then died.
Although the men's symptoms pointed to a viral infection, doctors could not locate an infectious agent after collecting blood and other fluids, and biopsy samples.
It is unclear if the rodents imported the virus to the three men. Another possibility is that it originated from mammals in their breeding facilities.
After scientists made a link between the squirrel virus and the three researchers' deaths, Europeans were warned not to get too close to or feed squirrels. More studies were being conducted.
