Host range (Part 3): How many species does it infect? Can it transfer from species to species?

Source: DHS Science and Technology, Master Question List for COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2), Weekly Report, 18 March 2020

 What do we know?

• Early genomic analysis suggests that SARS-CoV-2 bears similarity to SARS,¹with a suggested bat origin. ^1-3
• SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis suggests that a non-bat intermediate species is behind the outset of the outbreak.⁴The identity of the intermediate host still remains unknown. ^5-7
• Positive samples from the South China Seafood Market point to a wildlife source;⁸however, it is possible that the virus was circulating in humans before the disease was associated with the seafood market. ^9-12
• Experiments suggest that SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) receptor-binding domain binds the human cell receptor (ACE2) stronger than SARS.¹³ This factor potentially explains its high transmissibility. It has been suggested that differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV Spike proteins may limit the therapeutic ability of SARS antibody treatments. ¹³
• Modeling between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and ACE2 proteins suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can bind and infect human, bat, civet, monkey and swine cells.¹⁴
• No experimental evidence currently exists that SARS-CoV-2 infects domestic animals or livestock, though it is expected that some animal species could be infected.

What do we need to know?

• What is the intermediate host(s)?
• What are the mutations in SARS-CoV-2 that enable human infection and transmission?
• What animals can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 (e.g., pet dogs, potential wildlife reservoirs)?

References

1. Zhou P, Yang X-L, Wang X-G, Hu B, Zhang L, Zhan, W, et al. Discovery of a novel coronavirus associated with the recent pneumonia outbreak in humans and its potential bat origin. bioRxiv 2020, 2020.01.22.914952.
2. [Wuhan Pneumonia] The Hospital Authority stated that 2 critically ill patients needed external life support treatment. https://www.singtao.ca/4037242/2020-01-14/news-%E3%80%90%E6%AD%A6%E6%BC%A2%E8%82%BA%E7%82%8E%E3%80%91%E9%86%AB%E7%AE%A1%E5%B1%80%E6%8C%872%E5%90%8D%E9%87%8D%E7%97%87%E7%97%85%E6%82%A3%E9%9C%80%E9%AB%94%E5%A4%96%E7%94%9F%E5%91%BD%E6%94%AF%E6%8C%81%E6%B2%BB%E7%99%82/?variant=zh-hk.
3. Cohen J. Mining coronavirus genomes for clues to the outbreak’s origins. Science 2020.
4. Robertson D. nCoV’s relationship to bat coronaviruses & recombination signals (no snakes) 2020.
5. Li X, Zai J, Zhao Q, Nie Q, Li Y, Foley BT, Chaillon A. Evolutionary history, potential intermediate animal host, and cross-species analyses of SARS-CoV-2. Journal of Medical Virology 2020, n/a (n/a).
6. Liu P, Chen W, Chen J-P. Viral Metagenomics Revealed Sendai Virus and Coronavirus Infection of Malayan Pangolins (Manis javanica). Viruses 2019, 11 (11), 979.
7. Liu P, Jiang J-Z, Wan XF, Hua Y, Wang X, Hou F, et al. Are pangolins the intermediate host of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) ? bioRxiv 2020, 2020.02.18.954628.
8. CDC, C., Chinas CDC detects a large number of new coronaviruses in the South China seafood market in Wuhan http://www.chinacdc.cn/yw_9324/202001/t20200127_211469.html(accessed 01/27/2020).
9. Bedford T, Neher R. Genomic epidemiology of novel coronavirus (nCoV) using data from GISAID. https://nextstrain.org/ncov.
10. Cohen J. Wuhan seafood market may not be source of novel virus spreading globally. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/01/wuhan-seafood-market-may-not-be-source-novel-virus-spreading-globally(accessed 01/27/2020).
11. Xinhua, China detects large quantity of novel coronavirus at Wuhan seafood market http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/27/c_138735677.htm.
12. Yu WB, Tang GD, Zhang L, Corlett RT. Decoding evolution and transmissions of novel pneumonia coronavirus using the whole genomic data. ChinaXiv 2020.
13. Wrapp D, Wang N, Corbett KS, Goldsmith JA, Hsieh CL, Abiona O, et al. Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV Spike in the Prefusion Conformation. bioRxiv 2020, 2020.02.11.944462.
14. Wan Y, Shang J, Graham R, Baric RS, Li F. Receptor recognition by novel coronavirus from Wuhan: An analysis based on decade-long structural studies of SARS. Journal of Virology 2020, JVI.00127-20.

 (To be continued)

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President CMAAO