SARS virus originated from bat

SARS virus originated in bat scientists confirmed SARS infection pathogens "blurring" of the masked Civet has finally unveiled

www.thebeijingnews.com · 2-24, 2008 7: 06: 09 ·

Source: Beijing News

Some research on SARS virus, scientists study of viral gene reveals, through the analysis of the evolution of the virus and related viruses, comparison, SARS virus's earliest origins and the bat, this study also opened for the Masked Palm Civet: Masked Palm Civet of SARS a blurring or from humanity passes on.

Tracking SARS virus

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, 5 years ago of SARS in just 9 months swept through the global, 8000 people infected with the virus, 900 deaths.

But in 2004, then there is no report of any human infection. Nevertheless, SARS has been affected by the global scientific community's attention. In 2003, scientists have proven that the virus from wild animals. But what kind of animal, scholars have no conclusion. To learn more about the outbreak of the SARS virus, the virus back into the origin of one of the key, for preventing the recurrence of such situations with great caution.

United States, Ohio, Biomedical Informatics Center, many University and Ohio krona State mathematics Center for biological science and scientists in the joint implementation of a gene for SARS virus, resulting in the pedigree is published in the latest issue of the journal genetics taxonomy ".

This study mainly traced the SARS virus in animals and humans of transmission, confirm that the virus is transmitted to human beings by bats. The study of related papers also mentioned previously considered to be transmitted to humans by the SARS Masked Palm Civet. Unfortunately, the Masked Palm Civet in fact also the victim, they carry the virus is transmitted by humans.

"Of course, and SARS is closely related to the existence of o

ther viruses, and host animal relationships we do not know. However, understanding this type of filtration of poisonous and host animals, we are better able to prevent the next similar outbreaks of SARS. "The study of Janis (DanielJanies).

In order to study the outbreak of SARS, Janis and his colleagues developed an interactive map to track SARS virus gene geographic distribution and its evolution.

In this figure, you can see when, where, from animals to humans. SARS has been distributed in parts of Asia, North America, so the scientists was accordingly established a scientific and medical network of data, use shared data to analyze the genetic variation of SARS virus, in order to combat the disease. However, in spite of this, the following problems, scientists did not reach a consensus: a SARS-CoV coronaviruses from animals to humans.

Coronavirus found chiefly in mammals and birds of respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, only a small part of the corona virus will infect humans, therefore, prior to this, the coronavirus mainly confined to the agricultural scientists and veterinarians.

After SARS coronavirus research began entering human infectious disease research and comparative studies in the field of genes.

Standing on the shoulders of Chinese scientists

In fact, Janis and his colleagues is not the earliest by the bat is a source of SARS research team.

Early in 2005, the Chinese Academy of scientists headed by a joint study on display, some endemic bats have kind of SARS virus. The gene sequence analysis indicate that the bat by SARS virus and human of SARS virus genome sequence homology of up to 92%. But the difference between the bat whether SARS virus spread across species played a key role in this issue, always yet. This finding was published in science magazine. The same year, another group of Hong Kong University of science team also came to a similar conclusion.

Based on these studies, the research on the origins of the coronavirus has more extensive analysis.

Researchers will hundreds of coronavirus genes are included within the scope of the study. Force rebuild the evolution of the transmission of the virus.

"The Masked Palm Civet is not the source of SARS.

" He explained: in human infected with SARS, bats will already have SARS virus — — this is very clear. However the virus from animals to humans, key links or missing, the reason is that people on the coronavirus differentiation of understanding. "Bats carry viruses, human cells does not work, so now what on Earth is this virus from bats to the human host's or no explanation. " He said, sure there are other SARS coronavirus in intermediate transition effects to play, this may involve the addition of some animals.

Civets were also victims

The year of SARS, the Masked Palm Civet in the human heart.

At that time, some studies show that most likely it will bring humanity to SARS. However, this study was washing the Masked Palm Civet "— the SARS or from paguma larvata human involvement.

"We have available data show that the virus is from bats to mankind to fruit

Beaver, Civets in fact obtained from human SARS. " Janis said, he also said that the bat virus and human cells between the lack of sufficient evidence, here is the interaction also exists a ring is unknown.

In order to get this conclusion, scientists analyzed the human, bats, civet cats, raccoons and pigs of hundreds of SARS coronavirus isolate data.

They use the human genome project in the same device, detect these viruses each nucleotide sequences. They also adopted the principle of bioinformatics, will be more than one computer is used to analyze large amounts of data, distribution of different virus genes and concluded that the historical genealogy tree of viruses.

In th

e "tree", is full of virus variants between branches and cross-cutting relationships, you can also see the SARS virus on different host between jumping timeline and variation: SARS virus first jump from bats to humans, and humans and then jump to Leopard cat and pigs — virus outbreaks, very few from animals to humans.

Analysis of this tree is actually quite a large range.

Scientists will SARS coronavirus "close relatives" virus also pulled in, these viruses are present in humans, rats, cats, chickens and pigs. Janis said, will they also pull into the scope of the study was designed to give the SARS coronavirus studies provide a broader context, to take into account the possibility of more in the future. "You must research the status of virus outbreaks, which can periphery in a larger framework, looking for references to determine the foundations of the genealogical tree, in order to have more specific virus evolution process. ”

Compilation/reporter Kim Yu