Chinese researchers identify new coronavirus with the ability to infect beings

Hku5-Cov-2, of the Merbecovirus family, was located by the Wuhan Institute in Bats. The expert says that it is necessary to be cautious because there is no confirmation that the new virus, although transmissible, is pathogenic

Researchers of China discovered a new type of crown virus This, like Sars-Cov-2-The virus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic, has a high affinity to connect and infect human cells. The HKU5-Cov-2, a second lineage of the Merbecovirus family (a sub-famiglia of the Coronavirus), has been identified and located in bats by the Wuhan Virology Institute.

Transformed into an article published in the scientific journal Cell, The study explains that this new virus has a high affinity to connect to human cells through the ACE2 receptor (acronym of the ENZIMA of conversion of angiotensin 2), the same gateway used by the Covid-19 virus.

“The Coronavirus of the Merbecovirus family have been considered capable of inserting cells using the DPP4 receptor of the guest cells. This study identifies a merbecovirus bat Bat Which is able to enter the cells of other mammals through ACE2 and describes the structural base for the interaction of HKU5 with human ACE2 “, says the research.

The HKU5-Cov-2 belongs to the large Coronavirus family, more specifically Merbecovirus, the same one that generated the Epidemia of Mers (English for Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome) between 2012 and 2015 in Asian countries. Sars-Cov, for example, is also a type of coronavirus, but a member of the Sarbecovirus subfamille, head of the epidemic of Sars (serious acute respiratory syndrome) in the early 2000s and the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the Chinese study, the merbecovirus present in the bats of the genre Bat infected showed a high risk of Spillover (Adaptation to other species) for man, for direct or facilitated transmission by intermediate guests – such as pangoline or visions.

In the evaluation of the infectologist Alexandre Naime Barbosa, head of the infectious department at Unesp, the recent discovery of Hku5-Cov-2 “arouse attention”, since there is the possibility of this new virus and lead to the emergency of lineages capable of threaten human health.

“Hku5-Cov-2 is not yet linked to human cells with the same efficiency as Sars-Cov-2, but has already demonstrated the ability to infect the cells of human organs grown in the laboratory. This fact suggests that over time and under the Right conditions, the virus can evolve and increase its ability to transmit people, “he says.

However, the infectoologist explains that it is early to play any type of alarm, since there is still no evidence that the HKU5-Cov-2, although transmissible, is pathogen. “It is not possible to say that this new type of Coronavirus is able to cause a serious disease or even a simple cold,” says the expert, who is also a scientific coordinator of the Brazilian society of infectology.

In the case of an evolution of this new Coronavirus, the vaccines used against Covid-19, products to fight Sars-Cov-2, would have no effect against HKU5-Cov-2. “This new lineage is completely different from the previously identified viruses and probably will not undergo an action for the immune response created by existing vaccines,” says the expert.

For the name, the most important and fundamental is to carry out the continuous work of genomic surveillance of animal respiratory viruses. The genomic surveillance process consists in monitoring the genomes from infectious agents, analyzing similarities and differences in the strains that are in circulation and collection of data to control pathogens from a possible illness before the situation becomes a public health problem.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has clarified how essential it is to count on early alarm systems for new diseases, as well as the need to deepen the research on zonotic viruses and strengthen international cooperation in the surveillance of emerging pathogens. The rigorous monitoring of these viral le mutations are essential to prevent future pandemics and protect the global population, “he said.

Source: Terra

Ben

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