Missing Link

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A Number of The First cases of the pandemic were handed over to the Wuhan Seafood Market

A "host" animal coronavirus from wild bats on the People shown.

But while The World health organization says That the research on The Virus of "natural origin", say some scientists, it can never be known, as the First Person was infected.

It remains unclear whether this host was sold to the animal, in the now infamous Wuhan wildlife Market in China.

But The Trade in specimens of wild animal is seen as a potential source of this "spillover".

The Virus originated in bats, and was probably handed over to the People via an 'intermediate hosts'

the researchers say That The Trade provides a source of Species -Species transmission of diseases caused previous outbreaks, and was the blame for this pandemic.

The Who 's technical lead on Covid-19, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, told The Bbc 's Andrew Marr show: "We were not in preparation for something like That , as it is a question of whether, but a question of "when". "

spillover

infectious disease experts agree That , as the majority of emerging human disease, the undiscovered jumped this Virus , first the Species -barrier.

Prof Andrew Cunningham from the Zoological Society of London, explains: "We actually expect That something's going to happen like this for a while.

"These diseases are emerging more frequently in recent years as a result of human intervention in the wild habitats, and increases the contact and the use of Wild Animals by humans. "

officials civets in Xinyuan to take wildlife Market in Guangzhou, in order to prevent the spread of Sars

The Virus That causes Covid-19 is far from The First case of such a spillover. It is a hazy list of known name includes viruses - including Ebola, rabies, Sars and Mers, have their origin in wild populations of bats. Some of the now extensive evidence of bat viruses, and their ability to infect humans, comes from The Search for the origin of the Outbreak of the Sars epidemic in 2003, a very closely related coronavirus.

What Virus needed to infect a new host is The Ability to unlock and receive a replicate within a cell. And, like Sars, of the ancestors-bat-seems to have coronavirus, gave the human cellular key. "In the case of Sars-CoV-2 The Key is a Virus protein called a Spike, and the main lock to enter the cell, a receptor, called ACE2," explains Prof David Robertson , a virologist from the University of Glasgow.

"The coronavirus is not only fit in the location That ACE2 castle" to actually do it That many times takes on better-than-Sars-1," He Said .

corona viruses under the microscope

to include the Perfect Fit , could explain why the Corona Virus is transmitted easily from person to person; its infectivity is outdated, our efforts. But you bring the bat Virus to The Door is a human cell, where The Trade plays in the animal world an important role.

Buy, sell, infect

Most of us have heard That this Virus "steps" in a pet Market in Wuhan. But The Source of The Virus has not been found an animal with this pathogen into the body in The Market .

"The First cluster of infections was in connection with The Market -That the evidence," explains Prof James Wood of the University of Cambridge.

"could The infection come from Somewhere Else , and just by chance, clustered to the People There . But given the fact That it is an animal Virus , The Market association is highly suggestive. "

Prof Cunningham agreed; animal world Markets , He Said , are hotspots for animal diseases to new hosts. "Mix a large number of Species That are under poor hygienic and social conditions, and Species That do not normally come in close proximity together ways to jump the pathogen Species to Species ," he Explained .

animals rescued from the exotic pet trade, often sold protected from human disease,

Many Wild Animals , viruses have come in The Past , in the human, a second Species - a, bred or hunted, and on a Market .

Prof Woods Said : "The original Sars Virus was transmitted in the human population about the epidemic in Palm civets, which were traded around southern China, to be eaten.

"it was very important to know, because There was an epidemic in the Palm civets That had to be controlled to prevent a continuous process of overstimulation in humans. "

in search of the Missing Link in this particular transmission chain, the scientists have found, evidence of mink, ferrets and even turtles, as the host. Similar viruses have been shown to be found in the bodies of the rare and widely abducted, but none of these suspicious Species has been That this Outbreak . What we do know is That our contact with, and trade with Wild Animals brings us - and them - in danger.

the port can camels The Novel coronavirus, Mers

"Try to ensure That we bring the animal world into Direct Contact with us or with other domestic animals is a very important part of That equation," Said Prof wood.

the regulation of the global Trade In Wild Animals , but it is far from easy. "

"There are various campaigns to ban all trade with animals and contact with Wild Animals ," Said Prof wood. "But in General, what you do, then a punishment of some of the poorest People in The World . In many cases, through the introduction of measures such as That you are driving The Trade underground, which makes it much more difficult to do anything about it. "

The Who has already called for more stringent health and safety standards for the so-called wet Markets in China. But in many cases - such as the Bush meat Trade In Africa South of the Sahara, which was associated with the Ebola Outbreak - Markets , informal and to regulate, therefore, very difficult.

"you can't from an office in London or in Geneva; you will have to do That locally on the ground, in any country," added Prof wood.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove agreed: "It is very important we work with the population and People who work in the animal /human Interface - People who work with Wild Animals . "

What That will be, is a truly global and highly complex effort. But the Covid-to 19-Outbreak seems to show us the cost of The Alternative .

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Source of news: bbc.com