Monoj virus fully sequenced! Vaccine being tested!

Today EuroNutella scientists have finally figured out how the Monoj virus works. That is right, the bioweapon is confirmed to be a virus. Specifically it is a variant f the Rabies virus (R. Lyssavirus) which was edited, via recombination, to have two extra proteins: the Spike protein (Protein S) from a virus of the Coronaviridae family, SARS-CoV-2, which allows it to infect cells in the respiratory tract and therefore allowing it to become airborne, and VP7 from a Rotavirus responsible for gastroentheritis, this allows the virus to infect cells in the GI tract and therefore be spread through feces and untreated water. Therefore the virus can enter the body through 3 main ways: bites from infected animals, fomites in the air (from sneezes, coughs, etc) and via untreated water or human waste. Once inside the virus has three primary targets: the nervous system, the respiratory system and the Gastro-Intestinal tract. The virus will attack first the tissue that it infected first, then enter the blood stream and attack the other tissues. It acts incredibly fast which is why it is difficult for the body to mount an appropriate response.

(Diagram of the Rabies Virus)

In order to prevent the spread the EuroNutellan Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Centrum ad Morbum Imperium ac Praeventionis; CMIP) has recommended the use of face masks, carefully washing your hands, avoiding contact with infected people, only drink water that has been properly treated and avoid animals that look rabid. No cure is yet found but a vaccine has been developed and is currently undergoing tests. For the moment travel bans, lockdowns and quarantines are still highly recommended to prevent the spread untilthe vaccine has been confirmed to be safe and is available for public use.

(Cells infected with the Monoj Virus)

The vaccine has been developed thanks to RNA techniques. Basically a RNA string containing information to synthetize the G, S and VP7 proteins has been inserted in a vector that will transport the mRNA inside the cells, the cells will then synthetize the proteins and present them to the cells of the adaptive immune system. These are the proteins the virus uses to enter its target cells and therefore the B lymphocytes will produce antibodies that will prevent the entry of the virus in the cells and therefore making it impossible for it to replicate while the Killer T cells will kill any infected cell. Since memory cells are quicker and provide a stronger response to it, the virus' speed does not help it evade the immune system once immunized and therefore it could easily be stopped. Furthermore due to its already high mortality rate, any drop in infectivity rate will mean the threat could be wiped out within a week if no mutations occur, that is why by vaccinating quickly and efficiently the epidemic could easily be stopped before the virus can mutate and turn into a pandemic. For this reason, and Bjein's government inability to control its nation European Nutella has decided that it will distribute and administer the vaccine throughout the nation of Bjein if it proves safe.

(How RNA vaccines work; The RNA is inserted to a cell and does not migrate to the nucleus nor integrate in the genome, it will simply be translated into the three proteins which are then exposed on the cell membrane for the immune system to interact with them)

(Genetic sequence of the G protein in the Monoj virus; derived from the original Rabies virus)

(Genetic sequence of the S protein in the Monoj Virus; derived from an icelandic strain of SARS-CoV-2)

(Genetic sequence of the VP7 protein in the Monoj Virus; derived from Rotavirus A)