A Chinese research team has identified a new bat coronavirus that poses a risk of animal-to-human transmission, as it uses the same human receptor as the virus responsible for COVID-19.
The study, led by Shi Zhengli, a prominent virologist known as “batwoman” for her extensive research on bat coronaviruses, was conducted at the Guangzhou Laboratory in collaboration with researchers from the Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
A New Coronavirus Strain with Pandemic Potential
The newly discovered virus belongs to a lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus, first identified in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong Kong. It is part of the merbecovirus subgenus, which includes the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
What makes this virus particularly concerning is its ability to bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2), the same receptor used by SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
Lab Tests Confirm Human Cell Infection
In findings published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell, researchers reported that the new virus, named HKU5-CoV-2, could infect human cells when isolated from bat samples. It was also able to infect artificially grown miniaturized respiratory and intestinal organ-like tissues.
“Bat merbecoviruses … pose a high risk of spillover to humans, either through direct transmission or facilitated by intermediate hosts,” the researchers wrote.
Potential for Animal-to-Human Transmission
The study highlights the potential for multiple animal species to act as intermediate hosts, increasing the risk of human infection. The merbecovirus subgenus includes four known species, including the MERS coronavirus (which caused outbreaks in 2012), two bat coronaviruses, and one found in hedgehogs.
Due to its pandemic potential, the World Health Organization (WHO) added merbecoviruses to its list of emerging pathogens for global pandemic preparedness last year.
Debate Over Human Transmission Risk
However, a separate study published earlier this month in Cell by researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle and Wuhan University suggested that while HKU5 strains could bind to bat and other mammalian ACE2 receptors, they did not exhibit strong human binding efficiency.
Despite this, scientists remain cautious, warning that continued surveillance of bat coronaviruses is essential to prevent future outbreaks.
