A rigorous study suggests that pangolin is the intermediate host responsible for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans. Finding the missing link will help prevent future pandemics and deal with them more effectively.
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In the same way as the treatments of SARS-CoV-2, its evolution constitutes a major subject of study to combat it and prevent the next epidemics. While there is no doubt that the virus originates in bats, theintermediate host at the origin of human transmission agitates the scientific sphere. Some have implicated snakes, others have linked a key protein in the virus to HIV-1. New study refutes others and suggests that the pangolin constitutes the missing link between bats and humans.
The University of Michigan’s bioinformatics and medicine department uses a large amount of data and precise bioinformatics methods to analyze the genomes of viruses to conduct its study. The researchers were thus able to highlight deficiencies of previous studies. The similarities between the SARS-CoV-2 and the HIV-1 not all that surprising, the proteins they share are also common to many viruses. The hypothesis of the snake as an intermediate host has not withstood the rigor of the scientists who have attributed it to analytical errors.
Analysis of the DNA sequences and proteins taken from the lungs of sick animals suggests that pangolin is responsible for transmission to humans. The animal’s proteins are indeed identical to 91% proteins from the human virus. On the other hand, the famous protein “spike” which allows the virus to spread has only five amino acid differences compared to SARS CoV-2. Everything suggests that the pangolin is actually the missing link between animal to man. However, researchers do not rule out the existence of other intermediate hosts.
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It is unfortunately when the situation becomes critical that whistleblowers and the scientific community are heard. For several years, Bill Gates has warned the world of the risks of the spread of an infectious disease. Despite the epidemics of SARS from 2003 and from H1N1 in 2009, the international community still lagged behind in reacting and putting in place effective measures. Current efforts by researchers meet the need for treatment, but also to prevent the next pandemic. It remains to be seen whether they will be followed up.
Without stigmatizing the Chinese and their eating habits, after all some eat frogs and snails, we will nevertheless have to learn the lessons from the health crisis we are going through. An exercise that promises to be perilous for the political sphere in general, and for the Trump administration in particular.
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Source: American Chemical Society
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