Risk Of New Variants Arising When Animals Catch Coronavirus From Humans
NDTV
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in a variety of wild, zoo, and household animals demonstrate cross-species transmission, which is a rare occurrence for most viruses.
The findings of a new study suggest that when animals catch COVID-19 from humans, new SARS-CoV-2 variants can arise.
To evaluate this phenomenon, an interdisciplinary team at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences systematically analysed mutation types occurring in the virus after infection of cats, dogs, ferrets, and hamsters. The study was recently published in 'PNAS', the official journal of the National Academy of Sciences.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in a variety of wild, zoo, and household animals demonstrate cross-species transmission, which is a rare occurrence for most viruses.
"SARS-CoV-2, in the realm of coronaviruses, has a very broad species range," said Laura Bashor, one of the first authors and a doctoral student in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology. "Generally speaking, many types of viruses can't infect other species of animals, they evolved to be very specific."
