The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has significantly affected international public health safety. It has been reported that the pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, could originate from bats and utilize the Malayan pangolin ( Manis javanica ) as an intermediate host. To gain further insights into the coronaviruses carried by pangolins, we investigated the occurrence of Betacoronavirus (β-CoV) infections in captive Malayan pangolins in the Guangdong province of China. We detected three β-CoV-positive M. javanica individuals with a positive rate of 6.98% and also detected β-CoV in two dead pangolins sampled in August 2019. The CoV carried by pangolins is a new β-CoV, which is genetically related to SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was detected in eight organs of pangolins, with the highest ACE2 mRNA levels in the kidney, suggesting that these organs could be at a risk of β-CoV infection. These results enable us to better understand the status of β-CoV carried by Malayan pangolins, while providing a theoretical basis for better pangolin protection and viral control.
【저자키워드】 ACE2, Epidemiology, Betacoronavirus, Phylogenetic analysis, Malayan pangolin, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, Infection, risk, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, kidney, China, pathogen, outbreak, CoV, bat, expression, positive rate, pangolin, acute respiratory syndrome, individual, ACE2 mRNA, international public health, pangolins, viral control, organ, dead, Guangdong, β-CoV, Host, Occurrence, highest, affected, carried, significantly, reported, investigated, eight, cause, 【제목키워드】 pangolin,