Newly Discovered Bat Coronavirus With Potential for Animal-to-Human Transmission

If you’re feeling worried about new viruses that might spread among people, you’re not alone. Chinese research team led by virologist Shi Zhengli have just found a new bat virus, called HKU5-CoV-2, that can infect human cells. It uses the same doorway into our cells—called ACE2—that the virus responsible for COVID-19 uses, which makes experts concerned about its potential to cause another pandemic.

This virus is part of a family called merbecoviruses, which also includes MERS-CoV. MERS-CoV caused a serious outbreak in the Middle East back in 2012. HKU5-CoV-2 was discovered in bats in China, and laboratory tests showed it can infect human cells that have ACE2, as well as cells from animals like monkeys and pigs.

To learn more about how this virus attaches to cells, scientists used a technique called cryo-EM. They noticed HKU5-CoV-2 binds to ACE2 in a unique way—different from other related viruses—which could affect how easily it spreads and how our immune systems respond to it.

Scientists also experimented with models of the human respiratory and digestive systems. Their findings showed that HKU5-CoV-2 infects human cells more efficiently than other HKU5 viruses, suggesting it might pose a higher risk of spreading among people.

These discoveries have caught the media’s attention. News outlets like CNN, The Guardian, and the New York Post have all run stories about how this new bat virus can infect human cells and might be a risk for starting another pandemic.

Even though HKU5-CoV-2 can infect human cells, we still don’t know if it can actually make people sick. More research is needed to figure out how dangerous it is and whether it can spread easily between humans. This work also reminds us that we need to keep an eye on viruses in bats and continue developing treatments that can work against a wide range of viruses in case a new threat emerges.