Not snakes or bats, the novel coronavirus originates from pangolins

Novel coronavirus which is now spreading in 28 countries was thought to have originated from snakes and bats. However, this allegation was rejected by some researchers in China, after they examined virus samples in more than 1,000 wild animals. The results of these observations found that novel coronavirus probably derived from pangolins.

Coronavirus is a virus that is transmitted by animal intermediaries. Types of animals that have the potential to spread coronavirus also varies, ranging from commonly consumed to rare ones such as bats and pangolins.

The number of animals that have the potential to spread coronavirus becomes an obstacle for researchers in tracking its spread. Then, how coronavirus finally found on pangolins?

Get to know the various spreading animals coronavirus

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Coronavirus is a group of viruses that often infect the respiratory tract of humans and animals. This large virus is divided into several types, and n ovel coronavirus originating from Wuhan City, China, is the newest type.

There are four genera (clan) coronavirus which is already known, namely:

• Alphacoronavirus and betacoronavirus , found only in mammals such as bats, pigs, and humans.
• Gammacoronavirus and deltacoronavirus , both can infect mammals as well as birds.

Before the issue arose novel coronavirus originating from pangolins, researchers in China in January believe the virus is spread via snakes. In Journal of Medical Virology , they said the virus passed to humans through the consumption of snake meat.

However, the results of this study have drawn criticism because of this coronavirus has not been proven to infect animals other than mammals and birds. According to researchers from the Pasteur Institute of Shanghai, China, the animal that spreads the virus, coded 2019-nCoV, is most likely a bat.

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They found similarities between 2019-nCoV and coronavirus cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which had an epidemic in 2003. Both of them belong to the group betacoronavirus and many are found in bats.

Genetic analysis also showed that the types of virus currently endemic were 96% similar to coronavirus on the bat. The whole world also believes coronavirus indeed comes from bats, until the results of a study that found a link between this virus and pangolins.

Recently, researchers in China and France discovered that it was the mammals that originated the spread novel coronavirus not bats, but pangolins. Like bats, these animals are also sold at the Huanan Market, Wuhan, and are often consumed.

According to Arnaud Fontanet, an epidemiological researcher from France's Pasteur Institute, coronavirus did not move directly from bats to humans. This virus requires an intermediate animal to move species, and pangolins may be the intermediary.

Pangolins, the chain of distribution coronavirus off the bat

Source: Wikipedia

There are many animals that can transmit viruses to other species, and almost all types coronavirus that infects humans are transmitted from wild animals. However, the transfer of viruses from animals to humans does not always occur immediately.

Several previous studies have shown that viruses originating in bats do not have the molecules needed to attach to receptors in human cells. These viruses require missing link , or a chain in the form of intermediate animals.

The intermediary animal is not always known. On the case novel coronavirus Initially, researchers did not suspect that it could originate from pangolins. Fontanet believes the intermediary is a mammal from the same family as the badger.

In 2003 when SARS broke out, the chain of transmission also came from the luak's relative, the civet. SARS-CoV from bats initially infected civets, then transferred to humans who ate this animal's flesh.

In order to determine the distribution chain novel coronavirus , researchers from South China Agricultural University, China, tested virus samples on more than 1,000 types of wild animals. As a result, the pangolin viral gene sequence was 99% similar to coronavirus who came from Wuhan.

Prior to this study, many researchers had suspected pangolins as an intermediary for the transmission of the virus from bats to humans. This is why researchers weren't surprised to learn coronavirus Pangolins have the molecules needed to bind to cells in the human body.

These findings are promising, but they cannot be the only evidence. Researchers still have to carry out further investigations to really know the mastermind behind this outbreak, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of people.

The importance of breaking the chain of virus spread

Source: Business Insider Singapore

The results of the study found a strong link between the genetic makeup of the virus in pangolins with novel coronavirus from Wuhan. However, there are still many factors that need to be studied before researchers can confirm this and disseminate it.

Currently, the best step that can be taken by the community is to make efforts to prevent and stop the consumption of wild animal meat. The reason is, these two factors play an important role in preventing the outbreak from spreading.

Pangolins are protected animals, even some species of pangolins are now classified as endangered animals. Unfortunately, these conditions were not sufficient to stop rampant hunting of wild animals.

The high interest of some community groups in wild animal meat has made hunting increasingly rampant. Before novel coronavirus widespread, pangolin meat is one of 112 types of wild animals sold at the deepest corner of the market.

Indonesia also has several places selling wild animal meat similar to the Huanan Market in China. Even though it is closely related to people's daily lives, the wild animal market is actually an ideal place for new viruses to develop.

To date, no progress has been reported novel coronavirus in the wild animal meat market in Indonesia. However, the public is advised to avoid consuming wild meat in order to prevent further spread of the virus.