New Covid-like virus discovered in Russian bats is resistant to all known vaccines
The virus, known as Khosta 2, was discovered in bats in Russia in 2020 and was initially thought to be n being not a threat to humans until further research by a team found otherwise
Khosta-2, a virus found in Russian bats, may pose a threat to humans (
Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto
A Covid virus recently discovered in Russian bats is feared to be capable of infecting humans – and is currently resistant to all known existing vaccines.
A team of researchers has discovered that proteins from a bat virus known as Khosta-2 can migrate to human cells.
Unlike known Covid infections, it is resistant to antibodies and against which serum populations are currently protected.
Study author Michael Letko called for universal vaccines to be developed to help protect against other dangerous viruses found in nature.
Mr. Letko, a virologist from Washington State University's Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, said, "Our research further demonstrates that sarbecoviruses circulating in wildlife outside of Asia - even in places like western Russia where the Khosta-2 virus was found - also pose a threat to global health and ongoing vaccination campaigns against SARS-CoV-2.
Picture:
Universal Images Group via Getty Images)"Genetically, these weird Russian viruses looked like some of the others that had been discovered elsewhere in the world, but since they didn't look like SARS-CoV-2, no one thought they were really anything to get excited about. too much. .
"But when we looked at them further, we were really surprised to find that they could infect human cells. That changes our understanding of these viruses a bit, where they come from and which regions are affected."
Scientists have discovered hundreds of sarbecoviruses in recent years, with the majority being discovered in Asia.
The Khosta-1 and Khosta-2 viruses were discovered in Russian bats in 2020 and initial tests revealed that they pose no...
The virus, known as Khosta 2, was discovered in bats in Russia in 2020 and was initially thought to be n being not a threat to humans until further research by a team found otherwise
Khosta-2, a virus found in Russian bats, may pose a threat to humans (
Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto
A Covid virus recently discovered in Russian bats is feared to be capable of infecting humans – and is currently resistant to all known existing vaccines.
A team of researchers has discovered that proteins from a bat virus known as Khosta-2 can migrate to human cells.
Unlike known Covid infections, it is resistant to antibodies and against which serum populations are currently protected.
Study author Michael Letko called for universal vaccines to be developed to help protect against other dangerous viruses found in nature.
Mr. Letko, a virologist from Washington State University's Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, said, "Our research further demonstrates that sarbecoviruses circulating in wildlife outside of Asia - even in places like western Russia where the Khosta-2 virus was found - also pose a threat to global health and ongoing vaccination campaigns against SARS-CoV-2.
Picture:
Universal Images Group via Getty Images)"Genetically, these weird Russian viruses looked like some of the others that had been discovered elsewhere in the world, but since they didn't look like SARS-CoV-2, no one thought they were really anything to get excited about. too much. .
"But when we looked at them further, we were really surprised to find that they could infect human cells. That changes our understanding of these viruses a bit, where they come from and which regions are affected."
Scientists have discovered hundreds of sarbecoviruses in recent years, with the majority being discovered in Asia.
The Khosta-1 and Khosta-2 viruses were discovered in Russian bats in 2020 and initial tests revealed that they pose no...
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