A newly identified strain of coronavirus in Brazilian bats poses potential risks to human health due to similarities with MERS-CoV, which has a high fatality rate. Researchers are set to conduct further testing to determine the virus’s ability to infect humans. The study underscores the critical role of bats as reservoirs for emerging viruses, emphasizing the need for ongoing surveillance.
Research indicates Brazilian bats are home to a wide variety of coronaviruses, including a newly identified strain that may threaten human health. Scientists are planning future testing in secured laboratories to assess the potential for this virus to cross over into humans. Its similarities to the MERS virus, which has a high fatality rate, raise significant alarms among researchers.
The MERS-CoV, identified in 2012, has led to 858 mortalities primarily in regions like the Middle East and South Asia, holding the highest case fatality rate among known human-infecting coronaviruses at nearly 35%. In contrast, the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) has a fatality rate of approximately 2% as per a 2022 study, underlining the dangers posed by the MERS strain.
In a study involving 16 bat species in Brazil, scientists led by Bruna Stefanie Silvério from the Federal University of São Paulo discovered a close relative of MERS-CoV by analyzing over 400 swabs from bats. They identified seven distinct coronaviruses among two species: Molossus molossus and Artibeus lituratus, with one variant showing evolutionary ties to MERS-CoV. This finding expands the known geographic range of such viruses, highlighting new risks.
Historically, bat-borne coronaviruses pose significant threats to human health, as evidenced by the 2002 SARS pandemic traced back to bats, which had a 10% fatality ratio by the end of the outbreak. Similarly, the MERS virus likely transmitted from bats to camels and then to humans, causing sporadic infections worldwide despite being harder to spread among humans.
The research emphasizes the essential role of bats in virus reservoirs, as noted by Silvério and team. Specific components of the discovered strain indicated potential interactions with the human receptor used by MERS-CoV, although its ability to infect humans remains uncertain pending further study in Hong Kong this year.
Post-2020, awareness of the risks of coronaviruses from wildlife has significantly increased. The identification of a potentially harmful strain in South America is alarming but also provides a foundation for vigilance. Continuous epidemiological monitoring of bats is recommended by co-author Ricardo Durães-Carvalho to mitigate future risks effectively.
The results of this important study were published in the Journal of Medical Virology, accentuating the need to monitor and understand the threats posed by wild mammalian coronaviruses.
The discovery of a MERS-CoV-like strain in Brazilian bats highlights the ongoing risk posed by coronaviruses that can potentially spill over to humans. With a close evolutionary relationship to viruses responsible for severe diseases, comprehensive further studies and constant surveillance of bat populations are crucial to understand and mitigate future threats effectively. Continued vigilance is necessary to track these viruses given the significant health implications they carry.
Original Source: www.sciencealert.com
