Mirima or Miriam virus is a virus of the Bunyaviridae family that was discovered in 2023 by scientists at Wright State University in the United States. This virus is a member of the arbovirus group and was named after the place where it was discovered - the city of Miriama, California. The virus belongs to the genus Bunyavirus and has the ecological group of arbovirus. The antigenic group to which the Miriam virus belongs is called Guam, which may indicate that this virus has existed in nature for quite some time and is widespread. However, since the pathogenicity of the virus for humans has not yet been established, its potential to affect human and animal health remains unclear. Of particular concern is the fact that Miriam was found in California, one of the most popular and populous states in the United States. It is also found in many countries around the world, including Russia, India and Japan, and can potentially cause serious illness in many people living in these regions. Experts say the virus can affect many species of animals, including domestic cats and dogs, but there is no evidence yet that it is dangerous to humans. However, it is necessary to be vigilant and take precautions to avoid infection through contact with or from animals. In 2018, it was developed jointly by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences, based on the description of the M (Matrix) protein published by Chinese molecular biologists, a new genome of the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome identified in bats from Russia. The description of the M protein implied complete correspondence between the Far Eastern and Central Asian babesimoid species.
It was only after this publication that it became known that this protein is in fact very close to the M protein of Japanese encephalitis. At the moment, there is very little information on the virus, since research began only a month ago. Scientists are trying to find out exactly how dangerous this virus is. Work is also underway on vaccinations and diagnostic tools. We can only hope that humanity will be ready to fight the new disease and will find a way to protect itself and others from Miriam’s unstudied virus.