Researchers Identify Novel Coronavirus with Human Infection Capabilities: Crucial Info to Understand
Coronaviruses continue to pose a significant threat to global health, as highlighted by a new study from researchers in China. Published in the journal Cell, the study reveals a new coronavirus discovered in bats that has the potential to infect humans, dubbed HKU5-CoV-2.
Led by scientist Shi Zhengli, known as "Batwoman" for her extensive work on bat coronaviruses, the study found that HKU5-CoV-2 appears to possess a key adaptation that allows it to infect a wide range of mammals, including humans. However, factors present in the virus prevent it from being highly adapted to humans just yet.
Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses that have been known to infect both mammals and birds for some time now. Four known coronaviruses usually cause mild cold-like symptoms in humans. Another caused a major but short-lived epidemic including SARS (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Another, known as MERS, seriously impacts human health, while the most recent discovery, SARS-CoV-2, brought the world to a standstill, causing the worst pandemic in a century, with estimates suggesting upwards of 20 million deaths worldwide since its emergence in late 2019 (Source: World Health Organization).
Despite the progress made in managing covid-19, with vaccines significantly reducing the number of deaths, the virus continues to claim hundreds of American lives each week. Even before the arrival of covid-19, scientists were concerned about the likelihood of coronaviruses sparking the next major outbreak due to their widespread presence across the animal kingdom.
In 2006, researchers in Hong Kong identified a coronavirus in pipistrelle bats, later named HKU5-CoV. While the virus itself didn't seem to pose a significant threat to human health, the Wuhan scientists now believe they have discovered a lineage more capable of jumping over to humans, which they've coined as HKU5-CoV-2.
Lab experiments revealed that HKU5-CoV-2 could potentially infect a wide range of mammals by interacting with the protein receptor ACE2, found in many types of cells. While mammals have slightly different versions of ACE2, the researchers found that strains of HKU5-CoV-2 could effectively utilize human ACE2 and other mammalian versions to enter cells.
However, it's important to note that no human cases of HKU5-CoV-2 have been reported as of yet. Additionally, the researchers identified other aspects of the virus that likely hinder its ability to infect people easily, suggesting that the risk of HKU5-CoV-2 leading to the next pandemic is minimal.
The discovery of HKU5-CoV-2 emphasizes the importance of tracking and learning more about these potential threats to prepare for the inevitable future pandemic. As a result, ongoing monitoring and understanding of these threats will be essential to stopping or at least reducing the harm they can cause.
The new study on HKU5-CoV-2 highlights the potential threat of coronaviruses to future global health, as this bat-derived virus can infect various mammals, including humans. The research underscores the importance of science and technology in identifying potential pandemics, such as SARS-CoV-2, which caused the worst pandemic in a century. The discovery of HKU5-CoV-2 in bats, first identified in 2006, and its potential interaction with the ACE2 receptor in mammals, including humans, underscores the need for continuous research to prevent future outbreaks.
