A Chinese research team has discovered a new bat coronavirus capable of infecting humans by using the same receptor utilized by the Covid-19 virus. Led by virologist Shi Zhengli, the study finds this virus belongs to the merbecovirus subgenus, associated with Middle East respiratory syndrome. This finding emphasizes the need for ongoing vigilance against zoonotic pathogens.
A research team from China has identified a new bat coronavirus that poses a potential risk for transmission from animals to humans, utilizing the same receptor as the virus responsible for Covid-19. The study, conducted by Shi Zhengli, a prominent virologist often called the “batwoman” for her expertise in bat coronaviruses, involved collaboration with institutions like the Guangzhou Academy of Sciences and Wuhan University.
Shi Zhengli is well-known for her investigations conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, an institution at the center of ongoing debates concerning the origins of Covid-19. Although the exact origins of the virus remain uncertain, some hypotheses propose that it emerged from bats and transferred to humans through an intermediary host, which Shi has publicly refuted regarding her institute’s involvement in the outbreak.
This recent discovery pertains to a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus, initially recognized in the Japanese pipistrelle bat located in Hong Kong. The virus belongs to the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the pathogen responsible for Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers). This novel virus has demonstrated the ability to attach itself to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2), the same receptor engaged by the Sars-CoV-2 virus to infiltrate human cells.
The discovery of this new bat coronavirus highlights the ongoing risk of zoonotic diseases that can infect humans. The research underscores the importance of monitoring bat populations and the viruses they carry, given their potential links to human health risks. Collaboration among scientific institutions remains crucial in understanding the origins of such viruses to prevent future outbreaks.
Original Source: www.scmp.com
