Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – A new variant of the Corona virus, similar to the “Omicron” mutant, was found in a group of white-tailed deer in Ontario, Canada, which makes it very different from the widespread mutants branching from this virus, According to a new study,
A man from the same area was infected with this strain, and confirmed his mixing with deer.
The researchers noted that it is difficult to determine how this mutant, which they call Ontario WTD, evolved because it appears to have undergone many mutations for about a year without knowing it or sampling it. As for expectations, it was transmitted from humans to deer, then returned and moved to one person at a minimum.
The new branching of the SARS-CoV-2 family tree underwent about 79 genetic changes from the original strain of the virus discovered in Wuhan, China. About half of these changes, 37 of them, were observed in animals, but 23 of them had not previously been observed in elk.
C said. Scott Wiese, a professor at the University of Guelph in Canada and a specialist in infectious diseases transmitted between animals and humans, it’s “a very important study I think, because we are seeing a possible evolution of the virus in animals.”
Weiss noted that we have seen in the past that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted between humans and animals, but that has stopped. There was no indication that this persists and changes in animal populations due to repeated two-way transmissions.
As for the virus closest to this new branch, it dates back 10 or 12 months, and it was between humans and mink in the US state of Michigan, near the border with Ontario.
Wise, who reviewed the study but was not involved in it, said that “it moved to a place and changed over a period of time that ranged from months to a year, and it seems most likely that the animal formed a brood for it. We do not know from which species and where.”
Indications to a new natural animal reservoir
Weisz believes that deer would be the ideal host for SARS-CoV-2, because they are more susceptible to infection, but they do not become severely ill, and remain in groups, which facilitates the spread of the virus.
This new breed was spotted during the hunting season, when hunters bring the elk they hunted to scientists who take a swab of it and examine it.
The researchers said they found no evidence that the strain was caused by sustained deer-to-human or human-to-human transmission. However, the hunting season is over in the area, and the Omicron wave has broken out strongly, which complicates the monitoring process.
And early laboratory experiments found that the antibiotics produced by the vaccination easily eliminated them, meaning that this version of the virus would not currently pose a threat.
The problem is what will happen in the future
“The majority of people think that humans caused the pandemic, and that’s true,” said study author Bradley Pickering, who heads the department of special pathogens at Canada’s National Center for Animal Diseases.
And if it continues to spread among the elk in North America, it can continue and change. He said, “The danger is there, that this virus is here and it can transmit to humans at any moment.”
Pickering pointed out that the researchers will resume their monitoring of the elk population again in order to continue to monitor the evolution of the virus.
Wise explained that if the elk became the actual animal reservoir, it would be difficult to resolve this issue, which indicates a new era of the pandemic.
He pointed to the need to go beyond a human-centered approach, noting that “it does not matter if the virus is spreading among 100 million people in a fully fortified area, or if it is infesting among 10 million deer in North America. It spreads, and through the process of spread and reproduction. Mutations happen.”
Another way to keep the virus alive
When SARS-CoV-2 spread among farm animals such as foxes and rats sold in a Hong Kong animal store, they were culled to contain the spread of the virus.
But this is not possible when societies are composed of wild animals.
There are animal vaccinations in order to avoid disease and protect animals from severe disease or death.
Wise said, “Vaccines are very effective to limit the spread,” noting that “we are supposed to have an animal vaccine, because it is better than the vaccine manufactured for humans, and the animal vaccine uses the old technology, and this can be accomplished with high quality.”