BEIJING, Sept 7 — A new study involving more than 450 dead fur-bearing animals in China has uncovered dozens of viruses, including cross-species infections with a high risk of spilling over to humans.
The study, published in the journal Nature, found that raccoon dogs and minks were among the animals carrying the highest number of potentially dangerous viruses.
South Morning China Post (SCMP) reported that this includes a mink virus closely related to those typically found in bats.
“Fur farming is a significant hub for viral zoonoses,” the study said, with some of the viruses already having jumped to humans.
The research involved scientists from several Chinese universities, as well as international researchers, including Edward Holmes from the University of Sydney. Holmes is notable for helping Shanghai virologist Zhang Yongzhen publicise the genome sequence of Sars-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19.
The study, which began in 2021, analysed tissues from 461 animals that had died of disease across China.
The animals were primarily farmed for their fur, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine and for food. A total of 28 species were involved.
The researchers identified 125 virus species, including 36 that were new to science and 39 considered high risk for cross-species transmission, including zoonotic spillover.
“The intensive breeding environment in animal farms makes them a potential bridge for virus transmission,” SCMP quoted the researchers as saying, adding that 11 of the viruses had already spilled over to humans.
The study also identified Pipistrelles bat coronavirus HKU5 in mink from a single farm. This virus is part of the same lineage as Mers (Middle East respiratory syndrome), raising concern due to its history of recombination in bats.
Other findings included a new coronavirus tentatively named “rabbit coronavirus”, as well as a concerning number of coronaviruses detected in the dead animals.
Holmes stressed that the study was not related to finding the origins of Covid-19 but underscored the importance of monitoring viruses in farmed animals to prevent future pandemics.
“Our findings clearly show that viruses can move from wildlife into farmed species like mink, exposing humans to potentially dangerous viruses,” Holmes told Malay Mail. “This is exactly the process that leads to pandemic viruses like Sars-CoV-2.”
While the paper does not mention the discovery of Sars-CoV-2 among the dead animals, the scientists emphasised the need for further monitoring of fur farms to better understand the risks of zoonotic transmission.
