- The new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is a product of various coronaviruses that recombine in animal species.
- A new study suggests that hundreds of animal species may harbor more types of coronaviruses, which means that recombination events may be more likely than previously thought.
- The authors noted that their findings could help improve surveillance programs to mitigate the risks associated with a new coronavirus.
A new study highlights hundreds of mammalian species that could contract several coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and therefore become sources of new coronaviruses. Published in Nature Communications, the research suggests that new coronaviruses may appear in more animal species than scientists have observed so far.
Coronaviruses comprise a large family of viruses. It is known that humans contract only seven coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, all of which can cause severe illness or death. But coronaviruses can circulate more widely in the animal kingdom, and scientists have identified hundreds of unique strains.
Some animals can be infected with several coronaviruses at the same time. When this happens, genes from different viruses can combine and replicate, creating a new coronavirus. This natural process is called recombination and is what produced SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
So in which animal species could the next novel coronavirus come from by recombination?
Wardeh et al.
The predicted hosts are grouped in order (inner circle). The middle circle shows the probability of association between the host and SARS-CoV-2 (the gray scale indicates the predicted associations in the range> 0.5 to ≤0.75. The red scale indicates the predicted associations in the range> 0.75 to <0.9821. Blue to purple scale present indicates associations with probability ≥ 0.9821). Yellow bars represent number of coronaviruses (species or strains) observed to be found in each host. Blue stacked bars represent other coronaviruses predicted to be found in each host by our model. Predicted coronaviruses per host are grouped by prediction probability into three categories (from inside to outside): ≥0.9821, >0.75 to <0.9821 and >0.5 to ≤ 0.75.
To address this, the researchers behind the recent study created a computer model to predict which species are most at risk of being “reservoirs” for coronaviruses. Using data from GenBank, a database of National Institutes of Health, the team compared 411 coronaviruses with 876 mammal species known to be able to contract coronaviruses.
The model predicted that each coronavirus species could infect, on average, more than 12 types of mammalian hosts. Meanwhile, the results suggested that each host mammal may contract about five different types of coronavirus.
Regarding recombination, some mammal species pose excessive threats. The study noted that the domestic pig is at high risk because it is known to harbor many different coronaviruses.
“Given the large number of predicted viral associations presented here, the close association of the pig with humans, its known reservoir status for many other zoonotic viruses and its involvement in the genetic recombination of some of these viruses, it is anticipated that the pig is one of the In first of all, candidates an important recombination host, “the authors wrote.
Credit: Pixabay
The study also identified species in which SARS-CoV-2 could combine with other coronaviruses. These include the smaller Asian yellow bat, the common hedgehog, the European rabbit, chimpanzees, the African green monkey and domestic cats (which are already known to contract SARS-CoV-2, although there is no evidence that cats or other pets can spread coronavirus). new to humans).
Also on this list was the dromedary camel, a “known host of several coronaviruses and the main route of transmission of MERS-CoV to humans.” It would be particularly worrying if MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 recombine, considering that the former is extremely deadly and the latter is highly contagious.
Improved surveillance programs
However, many factors need to be aligned for coronaviruses to unite and generate a new coronavirus, and just because an animal is vulnerable to multiple viruses does not mean that these viruses will recombine. But the team behind the study noted that scientists probably underestimate the number of animals that could generate new coronaviruses and that the results may help inform surveillance programs for endangered species.
Such information could help inform prevention and mitigation strategies and provide a vital early warning system for future new coronaviruses, the authors wrote.
From articles on your site
Related articles on the web