New lung-infecting ‘mink’ virus poses ‘pandemic risk’, say scientists warning of ‘zoonotic soup’ of killer bugs
A CONCERNING new coronavirus with pandemic potential has been detected in minks, according to new research.
During investigations at fur farms in China, scientists discovered a new bat virus called HKU5 in the lungs of minks that had died from a pneumonia outbreak.
While it’s challenging to predict which viruses may jump from animals to humans—known as zoonotic diseases—viruses that spread between animals present a serious risk.
“If viruses are able to jump big evolutionary distances, it suggests they can replicate in different cell types. That is a risk,” study author, Prof Eddie Holmes, a virologist at the University of Sydney, said.
“HKU5 needs to go on a watchlist immediately. It is absolutely a red flag,” he told the AFP, while calling for more rigorous surveillance of fur farms inside China and across the globe.
“Personally, I think the fur farming industry globally should be closed down,” he added.
HKU5 is a relative of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS), also called camel flu, which can be deadly to humans.
Thousands of unknown viruses are believed to be circulating among wild mammals.
Scientists fear that fur farms could allow farmed animals to catch such viruses, which could in turn expose humans.
In total, the team detected 125 viruses at the fur farm, including 36 new ones, according to the study in the journal Nature.
“Fur farms represent a far richer zoonotic soup than we thought,” the Prof said.
Thirty-nine of the viruses have a ‘high risk’ of jumping across species, including humans, the researchers evaluated.
Some of those viruses – such as hepatitis E and Japanese encephalitis – have already spread to humans, but 13 were new, the study said.
The leading theory for the origin of Covid is that it began in bats, and then was transmitted to humans during the trade of wild animals.
“I strongly believe that the wildlife trade was responsible for the emergence of SARS-CoV-2,” Prof Eddie said.
“And I think that the related fur farming trade could easily result in another pandemic virus,” he added.
In the study, the researchers called for increased surveillance of fur farm animals – particularly for minks, raccoon dogs and guinea pigs, which recorded the most ‘high risk’ viruses.
Denmark culled its entire farmed mink population over Covid fears in 2020 but has since reauthorised the practice.
What could be the next pandemic?
By Isabel Shaw, health reporter
There are a handful of viruses and bacteria that have the potential to spark epidemics or even pandemics.
Take most flu viruses, for example—they usually start in wild waterfowl.
The H1N1 swine flu? That one likely began in birds, jumped to pigs, and then mutated until it could easily spread between humans, especially after some unlucky folks got infected directly from pigs.
Respiratory infections are a big concern when it comes to outbreaks.
Once they start spreading from person to person, the risk skyrockets because we naturally release tiny droplets into the air when we cough, sneeze, or even talk loudly.
Highly lethal infections with a short incubation period, such as the dreaded Ebola, are much less likely to become pandemic.
This is because they cause severe illness early in infection that incapacitates and kills those infected, giving the virus little time to be transmitted to others.
In contrast, HIV can go undetected for a long time without causing noticeable symptoms, yet it still spreads between people. This makes it particularly well-suited to becoming endemic.
SARS-CoV-2 has a much lower mortality rate compared to the Ebola virus. While it’s impossible to predict, there’s always a chance that a more deadly strain of coronavirus could emerge in the future.