Study: Not just humans, many animal species also at high COVID-19 risk

As world grapples with ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, even slightest of new information about virus can bring a fresh supply of stress and anxiety. And w a new study has found that dely disease is t just a potential threat to humans, but also to a number of animal species. new study states that endangered species are predicted to be at COVID-19 risk.

study was published on August 21 in  journal ‘Proceedings of National Acemy of Sciences’. According to new study from University of California, Davis, various endangered primates like Western lowland gorilla, Sumatran orangutan, and rrn white-cheeked gibbon may be at high risk of contracting infection. Gray whales, bottlese dolphins and Chinese hamsters are also equally vulnerable to dely virus, which has caused havoc worldwide.

While dogs, horses and pigs were found to be at low risk of contracting infection, domestic animals including cats, cattle and sheep were found to be at medium risk.  An international team of scientists used gemic analysis to compare main cellular receptor for vel coronavirus in humans called angiotensin converting enzyme-2 or ACE2.

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How scientists carried out research 

scientists used this in 410 different species of vertebrates including birds, fishes, reptiles, mammals and amphibians. enzyme is rmally found on several different s of tissues and cells, including epilial cells in se, mouth and lungs. In human beings, 25 ami acids of ACE2 are vital for virus to bind and gain entry into cells.

team of researchers used se 25 ami acids of ACE2 protein and modeling of its predicted protein structure toger with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to understand and assess how many of se acids are found in ACE2 protein of different species. First author for paper and postdoctoral research associate at UC Davis, Joana Damas reportedly said that animal species with all 25 ami acid residues matching human protein are found to be at highest risk for contracting coronavirus via ACE2.

She reportedly ded that risk is expected to reduce if species’ ACE2 binding residues differ from humans. According to research, immediate ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 possibly originated in a species of bat. Bats were discovered to be at very low risk of contracting virus via ir ACE2 receptor. 

It is t kwn yet wher bats directly transmitted virus to humans or wher it went through an intermediate host. However, study backs fact that one or more intermediate hosts were involved. Le author for study, Harris Lewin reportedly said that data provides an important starting point for finding threatened animal species at risk of dely infection.

(Im credit: AP/Unsplash)

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