Civet cats the dominant human SARS-like coronavirus carries ( 2004-01-06 22:26) (Xinhua)
The research data show the viral genetic sequence from the first recent
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) patient in neighboring Guangdong
province is very similar to that of civet cats, experts from the mainland and
Hong Kong said here Monday.
A long term collaborative research effort led by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention of Guangdong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and the department
of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) shows
that human SARS-like coronavirus is found to exist in many wild animals after an
extensive sampling in the wild animal markets. The experts gave the proof at
Monday's news briefing.
The frequency of virus detection is the highest among the civet cats which
indicates that civet cats are the dominant carries of human SARS-like
coronavirus.
Civet cats are not firstly refereed to as the main carriers of human
SARS-like coronavirus. In last May, scientists in Hong Kong and Guangdong
province said they have traced SARS virus to civet cats. But experts from the
China Agricultural University and some other units said "there has been no
definite evidence to indicate the civet cats are sources of SARS."
Zhong Nanshan, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said Monday the
latest finding shows that "there is strong link of human SARS-like virus between
civet cats and the human being."
He said viral genetic sequence suggests that the Guangdong SARS patient and
the coronavirus found in some civet cats "may be of the same lineage and are
different from the animal or human SARS- like coronavirus found early last
year."
This indicated that another sublineage of SARS-like coronavirus has again
jumped from wild animals into human in the past month, he said.
In order to stop another outbreak of SARS, there is need to control and
manage the rearing, sale, transport, slaughter and the food processing of the
animals, Zhong noted.
