A team of scientists from the Wuhan Virology Institute has discovered a new coronavirus in Murciélagos that could represent a Potential risk for humans. This pathogen, called HKU5-COV-2, has caught the attention of the scientific community for using the same cell receiver (ACE2) that used the SARS-COV-2 during the Covid-19 pandemic to infect human cells.
However, genetic analysis revealed that this virus belongs to a different lineage of Coronavirus, closer to the cause of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) and only distantly related to the SARS-COV-2. The researchers collected the strain after analyzing hundreds of Pipistrellus bats in five Chinese provinces: Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui and Guangxi.
Although the virus can penetrate human cells through the same mechanism that COVID-19 usedscientists point out that it seems less virulent than their predecessor, which means that it does not enter human cells with the same ease as the SARS-COV-2, according to Chinese researchers in Cell magazine, pointing out some of their limitations.
To date, there have been no infections in humans, although the finding raises the possibility that at some point it could make the leap to our species.
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Impact on pharmaceutical markets
The news has had an immediate impact on financial markets, shooting the actions of vaccine manufacturers, which reflects the global concern against the constant threat of zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential.
Bloomberg, who reported on the study previously, said the article that identifies the bat virus had moved the actions of vaccine manufacturers against COVID. Pfizer’s shares closed with a 1.5% rise, modern rose 5.3% and Novavax increased approximately 1% in a downward day for the broadest market.
HKU5-COV-2 infection mechanism
Specifically, scientists said that, like the SARS-COV-2, the HKU5-COV-2 bat virus contains a characteristic known as a site of Furina’s split that helps it enter the cells through the ACE2 receiving protein on cell surfaces.
In laboratory experiments, the HKU5-COV-2 infected human cells with high levels of Ace2 in test tubes and in intestine models and human respiratory tract.
In additional experiments, researchers identified monoclonal antibodies and antiviral medications that act against the bat virus.
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Experts evaluate pandemic risk
When asked about the concerns raised by the report of another pandemic resulting from this new virus, Dr. Michael Osterholm, an expert in infectious diseases of the University of Minnesota, described the reaction to the study as “exaggerated.”
Said there is a lot of immunity in The population to similar Sars viruses Compared to 2019, which can reduce the risk of pandemic.
The study itself pointed out that the virus has an affinity of union significantly lower than the human Ace2 than the SARS-COV-2, and other subopymal factors for human adaptation suggest that “The risk of emergency in human populations should not exaggerate”.
(With Reuters information)
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