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Chinese scientists create deadly virus in lab which can cause death in 3-days – ET HealthWorld

New Delhi: Chinese scientists have created a new virus that can kill a person in three days. This study was done in Wuhan city of China. Hebei Medical UniversityUses a synthetic virus to simulate the deadly virus Ebola Virus In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the pathogen, the study highlights the potential benefits and risks of such experiments and has been published in Science Direct.

The team used a virus called vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), which they modified to carry a glycoprotein (GP). ebola This protein is very important for the virus, as it is crucial for the virus to enter and infect host cells.

The scientists conducted their experiments on a group of Syrian hamsters, which included five females and five males. After being injected with the engineered virus, the hamsters developed severe symptoms similar to those of human Ebola patients. These symptoms included systemic disease and multi-organ failure, which caused the animals to die within three days. Some of the hamsters also showed discharge in their eyes, which caused their vision to deteriorate – a symptom associated with the optic nerve disorders seen in patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD).

One of the primary motivations behind this study was to establish Animal Models that replicates securely signs of Ebola Without the need for Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) facilities. Ebola research requires extremely secure laboratories, but most global facilities only meet BSL-2 standards. By using VSV engineered with Ebola GP, the researchers created a model that can be studied in a lower-security environment. This breakthrough allows for more widespread and accessible research into Ebola and potential treatments.

After the hamsters died, the researchers extracted their organs to analyze the effects of the virus. They found that the virus had accumulated in vital tissues, including the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, stomach, intestines, and brain. This widespread presence confirmed the virus’s ability to cause multi-organ failure, mirroring the devastating effects of Ebola in humans.

The success of this study provides a rapid preclinical evaluation method for medical countermeasures against Ebola, which could potentially accelerate the development of vaccines and treatments. It also raises significant ethical and safety concerns. Creating such a deadly virusEven in controlled environments, the risk of accidental release or misuse remains. Amid the ongoing debate about lab safety and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, this research highlights the need for strict oversight and transparent ethical guidelines in laboratories. Virology studies,

Ebola is one of the most feared viruses due to its high mortality rate and severe symptoms. The last major Ebola outbreak occurred between 2014 and 2016, affecting several West African countries and killing thousands of people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), such outbreaks highlight the urgent need for effective medical responses and the importance of research such as the one carried out at Hebei Medical University.

  • Published on May 26, 2024 at 02:26 PM IST

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