There's Another New Virus, Here's The HKU5-CoV-2 Fact That Makes Scientists Alert

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world, scientists again discovered a new type of coronavirus originating from bats, namely HKU5-CoV-2.

Reported by VOI from the Times of India page, this virus was discovered by the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and immediately became a concern because it has the ability to bind ACE2 receptors to human cells, the same as those used by SARS-CoV-2 to infect humans.

However, how dangerous is HKU5-CoV-2? Does this virus have the potential to become a new pandemic?

HKU5-CoV-2 is included in the subgenus of the Mercecovirus, which also includes the MERS virus (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). The study published in the journal Cell, found that this virus is capable of infecting human cells in laboratory testing and has the potential to be transmitted to various mammal species. This raises concerns about the possible presence of intermediate hosts that can facilitate the transmission of the virus to humans.

The researchers collected HKU5-CoV-2 strains from several Pipistrellus bats that were swabbed in various provinces in China, including Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Guangxi. The study was led by virologist Shi Zheng-Li, known for his studies of the bat coronavirus.

HKU5-CoV-2 was first detected in Japanese lattrelle bats in Hong Kong. Further studies show that this virus can be linked to an ACE2 receptor, which SARS-CoV-2 also uses to infect humans. In addition, this virus is able to stick to ACE2 receptors in various other mammals. This increases the potential for cross-species spread.

Although HKU5-CoV-2 has the ability to use ACE2 receptors, its binding power with human cells is much weaker than SARS-CoV-2. Laboratory testing shows that this virus can indeed infect human lung tissue, but is not efficient enough to cause widespread spread.

"This low infection rate makes the risk of a major outbreak very small," said Dr. Tushar Tayal, Internal Medicine Consultant at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.

Scientists confirm that although HKU5-CoV-2 can enter human cells in laboratory conditions, there is no evidence that this virus can spread easily between humans.

"Unlike SARS and MERS, which are proven to have efficient human-to-human transmission capabilities, the current HKU5-CoV-2 is not considered a major threat to public health," said Dr. Tayal.

To understand further, there are some differences between SARS-CoV-2 and HKU5-CoV-2.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that causes COVID-19, which triggered the global pandemic at the end of 2019. This virus is included in the Betacoronavirus genus and subgenus Sarbecovirus.

SARS-CoV-2 can cause mild flu-like disease to severe pneumonia and multi-organ failure. Transmission is mainly through respiratory droplets and direct contact. This virus has undergone many mutations, producing variants with different levels of transmission and immune system avoiding ability, such as the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.

HKU5-CoV-2 is a coronavirus found in the Rousettus bat in Hong Kong. The virus is included in the subgenus of the Betacoronavirus group, so it is genetically different from SARS-CoV-2.

HKU5-CoV-2 is not a pathogen for humans, but has been researched for its ability to cross species boundaries. Although SARS-CoV-2 causes a pandemic, scientists remain interested in researching HKU5-CoV-2, particularly in relation to the evolution of the coronavirus and its potential for animal-to-human transmission (zoonotic spillover).

- Genetic classification

SARS-CoV-2 is included in the subgenus of the Sarbecovirus, while HKU5-CoV-2 is included in the subgenus of the Mercecovirus.

- Asal Inang

HKU5-CoV-2 is mainly found in bats, while SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated in bats with the possibility of intermediate hosts such as pangolins.

- Human Infection

HKU5-CoV-2 has not been found infecting humans, while SARS-CoV-2 causes widespread human transmission, resulting in a global health crisis.

- Impact of Public Health

SARS-CoV-2 is causing a worldwide pandemic, while HKU5-CoV-2 is still in the research stage and has not been linked to serious public health issues.

Although these two viruses are included in the coronavirus family, HKU5-CoV-2 is not pathogenic to humans like SARS-CoV-2. However, research on it remains important to be prepared for future pandemics and to understand the evolution of the coronavirus.