A new study indicates that the SADS-CoV coronavirus has the ability to infect humans. However, this coronavirus usually concerns pork. Is this a real threat? What should I know about this virus?
The second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is now hitting France, as evidenced by the recent implementation of the curfew. While the Covid-19 pandemic does not weaken, another coronavirus worries science. This is the porcine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), a virus discovered in 2016 in China. As its name suggests, SADS-CoV affects pigs and should be harmless to humans. However, a study published in the journal PNAS on October 12, 2020 comes to a different conclusion. According to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA), SADS-CoV is capable of infecting a large spectrum of human cells , especially in the intestines, liver and lungs.
This SADS-CoV belongs to the same family as SARS-CoV-2 cause of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this one is of a different kind. SADS-CoV is an alphacoronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus. In contrast, SADS-CoV is of the same type as the other two alphacoronaviruses affecting humans. These are HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 that cause mild colds.
Study directors say alphacoronaviruses may pose such a significant threat than betacoronaviruses. This is explained by their ability to switch from one species to another very quickly. The researchers also point to the fact that SADS-CoV is a derivative of HKU2, a bat coronavirus. However, the distribution of this animal is very widespread in the world. Regarding the symptoms in pigs, SADS-CoV generates the same as those of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PED), namely acute diarrhea and other vomiting. Particularly dazzling, this coronavirus causes 90% mortality in piglets less than five days old.
You should also know that SADS-CoV infects mainly the intestines , where SARS-CoV-2 concentrates on the lungs. This does not mean that the porcine coronavirus is less dangerous. On the contrary, intense diarrhea and vomiting can cause significant dehydration and therefore, death. In addition, the scientists in charge of the study indicate that there is currently no cross-immunity with other cold alphacoronaviruses. However, this could have protected humans from interspecies passage.
Researchers explain that remdesivir may be effective against SADS-CoV. Of course, further research will have to prove this. However, the researchers recommend as a first step to monitor farms and operators waiting for a vaccine in pigs. The objective is to avoid a possible passage in humans, but also heavy losses in livestock.
