Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, November 15 (Reporter Liu Xia) Canadian scientists published a paper in the latest issue of "Nature Microbiology" stating that they found the genetic material of the new coronavirus in the nasal swab samples of three deer in southern Quebec. , and isolated live virus-a new variant of the new coronavirus from two deer samples, which is the first evidence of deer-human transmission of the new coronavirus.
Pathogens that can be transmitted back and forth between animals and humans, such as the new coronavirus, are worrisome, explained Samina Mbareka, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto, who led the latest study.
When a virus spreads to a new animal host, the pathogen builds a new "reservoir" that allows new variants to evolve and potentially spread back to humans.
These new variants are sometimes harder to spot or treat in humans and can lead to more severe disease.
To address these complex issues, Mbareka's team conducted COVID-19 surveillance in Canadian wildlife.
After U.S. researchers reported that deer were infected with the new coronavirus in 2021, they focused on white-tailed deer common in Ontario and Quebec, and eventually found a new variant of the new coronavirus.
The researchers pointed out that the new variant is a descendant of the older parent B.1 virus of the new coronavirus, which has 76 mutations compared with the original strain.
In comparison, the alpha, gamma and delta variants of the new coronavirus have 24 to 31 mutations, and the currently dominant Aomecron BA. Spread and evolve for many months."
Despite some mutations in the spike protein, the new variant was recognized and effectively neutralized by blood samples from patients who had recovered from the novel coronavirus or volunteers who had received two or three doses of the vaccine.
That suggests it is different from the omecron variant, which has genetic changes that don't help it evade antibodies from vaccination or previous infections.
The researchers also compared the genetic sequence of the new variant to that of a patient who was positive for the novel coronavirus in Ontario at the same time and found a sequence that closely matched the white-tailed deer variant, suggesting that the virus had re-circulated into humans at least once.
Mubareka said that their follow-up will focus on the impact of the new virus on human and animal cells and how it spreads, study the behavior of the virus in laboratory-grown lung organoids and nasal cells, and delve into the immune system of deer, to understand how new viruses evolved in these animals to where they are today.