A potentially lethal and dangerous coronavirus, discovered in China could be the reason behind the next deadly pandemic
A potentially lethal and dangerous coronavirus, discovered in Chi could be the reason behind the next deadly pandemic, American scientists have warned. According to researchers, the new HKU5-CoV-2 virus is just a small mutation away from being able to infect and cause outbreaks in humans.
The discovery, made by Washington State University, is ringing alarm bells because the pathogen is closely related to MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome—which affects those who live in or travel to the Arabian peninsula. Though it has similar symptoms to COVID-19, MERS is a highly lethal virus that kills up to a third of those it infects.
What does the study say?
Studies say HKU5 was first documented in bats by scientists from the lab in China, where COVID-19 is feared to have leaked from. For this study, the team of researchers from WTS researched how the new pathogen interacts with human cells in lab experiments.
“HKU5 viruses in particular really hadn't been looked at much, but our study shows how these viruses infect cells. What we also found is HKU5 viruses may be only a small step away from being able to spill over into humans,” said Professor Michael Letko, a virologist who co-led the study. The study findings have revealed that a small change in the virus's spike protein could enable it to bind to human ACE2 cells, which are found in people's throats, mouths, and noses.
The study also recorded that human cells show little response unless the virus carries specific mutations that improve its ability to latch onto ACE2. The results have raised concern that if HKU5 jumps to an intermediate animal like mink or civet, it could acquire mutations before reaching humans.
To understand the structure of the virus, scientists used cryo-electron microscopy - a high-resolution imaging method that allowed them to examine the spike protein in detail. They found that key parts of the spike remained in a 'closed' position, which makes infection more difficult but not impossible.
“These viruses are so closely related to MERS, so we have to be concerned if they ever infect humans,” Letko said.
Earlier this year, scientists from Wuhan in China reported that one strain of HKU5, Lineage 2, could already bind to human ACE2 receptors—which means it may infect human cells without needing to evolve further. Now, researchers from the US have broadened the investigation, studying the entire merbecovirus family to better understand their potential to infect human cells.
Scientists say Lineage 2 appears more immediately dangerous, already equipped to enter human cells. However, this new study reveals that several other types of HKU5 viruses may only be a few mutations away from doing the same.
