The researchers deemed 21 as “high risk” to humans, because they had infected people in the past or simply had a history of readily jumping between species. Sixty-five of the viruses had never been described before. Using a “metagenomics” technique, which probes samples for RNA transcripts that viruses make when they copy themselves, they identified 102 virus species from 13 different viral families in the animals’ noses, feces, and tissues. Most were species that are traditionally eaten as delicacies in China, including civets, raccoon dogs, badgers, bamboo rats, and porcupines. The researchers, led by veterinarian Su Shuo of Nanjing Agricultural University, took samples from nearly 2000 animals representing 18 different species at venues in China including fur farms, zoos, and natural habitats. “We humans need to understand that for a virus, different mammal species can look pretty alike, provided their cells have appropriate receptors.” China has clamped down on the sale of the animals sampled in the study, but other countries in the region have not. But the study underscores the extent of the threat, showing“there is an enormous amount of unsampled viral diversity” in the animals, says Harvard University evolutionary biologist William Hanage, who was not involved in the work. Live-animal markets are known to have sparked outbreaks, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 2 decades ago. Although none is closely related to the coronavirus that touched off the COVID-19 pandemic, the study sends a clear warning that other viral threats are lurking in the animal kingdom, scientists say. Wild animals sometimes found on the menu in China harbor a bewildering panoply of viruses, a new study has found-including many that can infect humans.
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