SARS-CoV-2 mutations among minks show reduced lethality and infectivity to humans.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34038423.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0247626 and PMC identifier 8153470.
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Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection in minks has become a serious problem, as the virus may mutate and reinfect humans; some countries have decided to cull minks. Here, the virus sequencing data in minks were analysed and compared to those of human-virus. Although the mink-virus maintained the characteristics of human-virus, some variants rapidly mutated, adapting to minks. Some mink-derived variants infected humans, which accounted for 40% of the total SARS-CoV-2 cases in the Netherlands. These variants appear to be less lethal and infective compared to those in humans. Variants that have mutated further among minks were not found in humans. Such mink-viruses might be suitable for vaccination for humans, such as in the case of the smallpox virus, which is less infective and toxic to humans.
Medical subject headings
- COVID-19
- Mink
- RNA, Viral
- SARS-CoV-2