"Science" publishes an article to demonstrate the animal origin of the new coronavirus

"Science" publishes an article to demonstrate the animal origin of the new coronavirus

International war "epidemic" operation

Recently, researchers from the University of Glasgow in the UK published the latest research results on the origin of the new coronavirus in the journal Science

Civet cats may serve as a channel for the SARS virus to spread from horseshoe bats to humans

In 2005, researchers discovered that horseshoe bats in China were carrying the SARS virus

By studying badgers, civet cats, and raccoon dogs, the researchers finally identified civet cats as the most likely animal host, acting as a channel for the SARS virus to spread from the horseshoe bat host to humans, but the civet cat is not a long-term host species

Genetic evidence debunks the so-called "laboratory leak theory"

The Wuhan Institute of Virology reported that the RaTG13 virus had spread in Yunnan horseshoe bats (chrysanthemum bats)

In this regard, the research paper clearly stated that Wuhan is more than 1,500 kilometers away from Yunnan Province, and the virus cannot be transmitted from Yunnan to Wuhan

The paper also pointed out that the viruses collected from Yunnan "are very different from the predecessor of the new coronavirus", and the evolutionary distance between the two is at least 40 years

In addition, the paper cited a review article on the traceability of the new coronavirus by 21 authoritative scientists from the United States, Britain and other countries.

The epidemic may be caused by contact between humans and live animals carrying the virus

So, how did the new coronavirus enter the human body?

Studies have shown that intermediate host living animals that are susceptible to SARS-related coronaviruses play a central role as the main source of new coronavirus progenitor cells that humans contact, just like the origin of SARS

The paper stated that humans are now the main host species of the new coronavirus

The paper stated that the mixed infection of Sarbecovirus to different host species means that SARS-related coronaviruses are likely to overflow from wild animals in the future, and current vaccines may not be able to prevent new mutations

The paper emphasizes that humans must work together across national borders to expand the surveillance of coronaviruses at the human and animal levels to minimize the threat of existing mutations and the evolving evasion of vaccine antibody mutations, and prevent future virus spills from happening.

Intern reporter Zhang Jiaxin