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New Delhi: A recent study published in the journal Nature has highlighted Potential threats posed by animals Bred for fur, food or traditional medicine. Species such as raccoon dogs, minks and muskrats, which are commonly bred for their fur, have been found to carry a number of viruses, some of which can be dangerous Significant risks to human healthThe study findings suggest that these animals could serve as reservoirs of emerging microbes, could potentially spark new pandemics,
Researchers collect samples From 461 animals found dead due to disease in fur farms in China between 2021 and 2024. These animals included mink, raccoon dogs, foxes, guinea pigs and rabbits. The team examined tissues from the lungs, intestines and other organs of these animals, searching for viral pathogens. Shocking revelations made in investigation 125 different viruses, of which 36 were new. Even more worrying was that 39 of these viruses were classified as high-risk, meaning they had the potential for cross-specific infection, including to humans.
The viruses detected included several types of influenza A viruses found in guinea pigs, minks and muskrats, including H1N2, H5N6 and H6N2. Additionally, several coronaviruses were identified, expanding the known host range of these viruses. Seven different species of coronavirus were detected, though none of them were closely related to SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID.
‘Alarm bell’ virus
According to virologist Edward Holmes, who was part of the group of scientists that led the study and co-authored it, one of the most worrying discoveries was the detection of a “Pipistrellus bat HKU5-like virus” in two minks. This virus, previously identified only in bats, is closely related to the HKU5-like virus. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, which can be fatal to humans. The fact that it was found in farmed mink is a huge cause for concern.
“We’re now seeing it spread to mink raised by bats, which is a red flag,” Holmes, a professor at the University of Sydney who has led research on COVID-19, told AFP, stressing the need to closely monitor the virus to prevent a potential outbreak.
In addition to coronaviruses, the study identified known zoonotic viruses such as hepatitis E and Japanese encephalitis in some farmed animals. These viruses have previously spread to humans, further highlighting the risk posed by fur farming as a hub for viral infections. The researchers also documented potential virus transmissions between farmed and wild animals, as well as from humans to farmed animals.
The rise of zoonotic diseases – infections that spread from animals to humans – has been a growing concern since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is widely believed to have originated in bats before spreading to humans. The study’s findings emphasise the role of fur farms as potential hotspots for viral spillover. Holmes and the research team have called for increased monitoring of fur farm animals.
“These data also reveal possible transmission of the virus between farmed animals and wild animals, and from humans to farmed animals, indicating that fur farming represents an important transmission hub for viral zoonoses,” the study says.
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