Exploring human-animal host interactions and emergence of COVID-19: Evolutionary and ecological dynamics.
Saudi J Biol Sci
; 28(2): 1417-1425, 2021 Feb.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-951088
ABSTRACT
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that emerged in December 2019 had caused substantial morbidity and mortality at the global level within few months. It affected economies, stopped travel, and isolated individuals and populations around the world. Wildlife, especially bats, serve as reservoirs of coronaviruses from which the variant Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged that causes COVID-19. In this review, we describe the current knowledge on COVID-19 and the significance of wildlife hosts in its emergence. Mammalian and avian coronaviruses have diverse host ranges with distinct lineages of coronaviruses. Recombination and reassortments occur more frequently in mixed-animal markets where diverse viral genotypes intermingle. Human coronaviruses have evolved through gene gains and losses primarily in interfaces where wildlife and humans come in frequent contact. There is a gap in our understanding of bats as reservoirs of coronaviruses and there is a misconception that bats periodically transmit coronaviruses to humans. Future research should investigate bat viral diversity and loads at interfaces between humans and bats. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to evaluate viral strains circulating in mixed animal markets, where the coronaviruses circulated before becoming adapted to humans. We propose and discuss a management intervention plan for COVID-19 and raise questions on the suitability of current containment plans. We anticipate that more virulent coronaviruses could emerge unless proper measures are taken to limit interactions between diverse wildlife and humans in wild animal markets.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Topics:
Variants
Language:
English
Journal:
Saudi J Biol Sci
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.sjbs.2020.11.077
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