Recently, through genetic sequencing, researchers from Chicago and Kenya have discovered four relative bats of Rhinolophus bats in Africa, and Rhinolophus bats are considered to be the "culprits of SARS virus and SARS-COV-2 (new crown virus). The culprit". The
SARS coronavirus is the pathogen that caused the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003, a major epidemic that caused 8,094 infections and 774 deaths worldwide. Earlier, there were divergent opinions on the origin of the SARS virus and many speculations. But in 2013, a research team led by researcher Shi Zhengli from Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed that the Chinese chrysanthemum bat is the source of the SARS virus.
Although SARS-like coronaviruses similar to SARS virus have been found in bats all over the world, including Africa, Europe and China, none of these viruses can use the ACE2 (ie SARS virus receptor) of humans and civets as receptors. A close relative of the SARS virus.
The SARS-like coronavirus isolated by Shi Zhengli’s team can use human, civet cat and Chinese chrysanthemum bat ACE2 as its functional receptor, and can infect a variety of cells in humans, pigs, monkeys and bats. These experimental results provide more direct evidence that the Chinese chrysanthemum bat is the natural host of the SARS coronavirus. The research results were published in the internationally renowned academic journal Nature.
Similarly, bats are also considered to be the natural host of SARS-COV-2. As early as February this year, a report issued by the World Health Organization stated that there is increasing evidence that SARS-COV-2 is related to other known coronaviruses that are spread in bats, and more specifically, and The bat subspecies chrysanthemum head bat is related.
Recently, a WHO spokesperson reiterated this view, saying that at present, bats are most likely to be the reservoir of this type of virus in nature. As for how SARS-COV-2 was transmitted from bats to humans, it is currently unknown. There must be an intermediate host, which means that another animal passed the virus from bats to humans.
The four newly discovered relatives of chrysanthemum bats carry the coronavirus
. In view of the previous outbreaks and the current global pandemic, the researchers believe that the above four bats and the viruses they carry can be studied for the next outbreak. The outbreak provides reference opinions. The newly discovered bat of
belongs to the bat family, and bats of this genus are also found in Asia and Oceania. Because of the short time of discovery, these bats are temporarily called leaf-nosed bats. They are similar to the existing species that have been identified, but they are different. This illustrates their close relationship with other bat species.
Although the newly discovered bats carry the coronavirus, no one has been found to pose health risks to humans.
However, Terry Demos, the lead author of the study, believes that studying new bat species and the viruses they carry will help prevent future outbreaks similar to the current COVID-19, and allow us to prepare in advance.
Although bats carry a variety of viruses, researchers say that the chances of these bat viruses spreading to humans are not many. Bats play an important role in natural ecology. They spread pollen and are natural enemies of pests. They never actively attack humans. Protecting the living environment of wild animals such as bats is the best way to stay away from pathogen infection of wild animals.
The results of the study were published in the special epidemiological issue of Zookeys magazine.
compilation/Foresight Economist APP Information Group
reference materials: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8245065/Four-species-bat-discovered-Africa-sisters-species-COVID-19- originated.html
