The cause of the novel coronavirus allegedly came from snakes

The snake is alleged to be the animal that caused the initial spread of emergence Novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. This is revealed by a recent study published on January 22, 2020. How can the explanation be?

Novel coronavirus probably came from a snake

In Journal of Medical Virology, mentioned that snakes are animals that are likely to be the cause of the spread Novel coronavirus . This conclusion is obtained through the analysis of the genetic sequences of Novel coronavirus which is compared to 200 more coronavirus others from around the world who infect a number of animals.

The researchers' findings reveal that 2019-nCov is a recombination of the two coronaviruses, namely bat coronavirus and one more coronavirus which has not been recognized. Not only that, this study also revealed that the results of the 2019-nCoV genetic recombination had changes in one of the viral proteins.

These viral proteins recognize and bind to receptors on the host cell and can make the virus enter the cell and change the protein. The researchers then concluded that these changes in protein might affect performance coronavirus to infect humans from the snake's body.

According to the researchers, there are two types of snakes that usually appear in southeastern China, including the city of Wuhan, namely the krait and the cobra. In addition, these snakes are also found in Taiwan, central and southern China, and Hong Kong.

The results of this study were immediately criticized by other researchers. Reported by nature, virus experts who were not involved in this study said that they still doubted the results of this study. They doubt if coronavirus can actually infect snakes.

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Snakes Freely Sold in Wuhan

Researchers who reveal the link between snakes as the animal that causes the novel coronavirus assess the Huanan fish market in the city of Wuhan, China, as the source of the virus's spread. This conclusion was obtained because the Huanan fish market also sells a number of wild animals freely.

In addition, a market with lots of live animals that are not kept clean, especially if mixed with the illegal wildlife trade, will increase the chances for the virus to spread to humans.

Not only the activity of buying and selling wildlife, making meat as a meal has also become commonplace for people in Wuhan. Starting from the soup of snakes, peacocks, ostriches, to dogs, everything can be found there. In fact, the Washington Post reports, the animals can be cooked directly on the spot with different menu choices.

Most people who come into physical contact with wildlife are potentially exposed Novel coronavirus . Later, after the plague hit, butchers there closed a number of descriptions of wild animals in their shops.

Snakes are not the first animals to cause coronavirus

Although the animal that causes the transmission of the novel coronavirus in the city of Wuhan is a snake, the corona virus itself has been found since 1960. Coronavirus is a type of zoonotic virus, meaning that this virus originates from animals and is then transmitted to humans.

Zoonotic viruses are still a serious threat to public health, including the novel coronavirus which has been spreading for the past month. Various diseases such as SARS, MERS, and Ebola that have been discovered in previous years have also become global epidemics that make the public anxious.

According to several studies that have been carried out related to zoonotic viruses, animals belonging to the group of mammals and birds have a greater potential in spreading disease outbreaks. In fact, mammals alone contain 320,000 viruses, not all of which have been detected. The range of hosts that the virus has from these animals is also broader.

This fact is further strengthened by the finding of bats as animals that host the virus that causes SARS and does not rule out that bats are also the source of the novel coronavirus.

Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera that can be found in all parts of the world, except for the Arctic, Antarctica, and some oceanic islands. This animal is the only mammal that has the ability to fly.

Bats are a gathering place for various microorganisms that can cause serious diseases in humans. Its existence that is easily found in urban areas makes human contact with these animals closer.

The transmission of microorganisms in bat colonies is supported by the behavior of these animals which like to gather together in one nest. Bats can transmit infection through an intermediate host in many ways. One of them is the habit of bats which often leave food which later falls to the ground and is consumed by other animals.

That's where the spread of infection occurs. If the animal comes into contact with humans, the microorganisms from the bat will not be transmitted to humans. Meanwhile, the direct spread can be caused by the consumption of infected and bitten bats such as rabies.

If you reflect on the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has just occurred, consumption of bat meat can be the cause of a person being infected with a virus that can cause pneumonia.

Contagious Animals Coronavirus Previous

As already explained, the spread of the virus with bats as primary hosts also occurred in the spread of the previous types of coronavirus, namely SARS and MERS.

According to WHO, the SARS-CoV virus was first identified in China in 2003. The disease is transmitted from infected civets from bats to humans. Then there is the MERS-CoV which was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and came from a dromedary camel.

The two diseases then spread throughout the world and claimed hundreds of lives.

There are several other coronaviruses that have been identified in a number of animals, but to date have not infected humans.