New research published this month sheds light on the persistent danger presented by coronaviruses, the family of viruses that sparked the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists in China have identified a novel coronavirus in bats that could potentially infect humans, highlighting the ongoing need for vigilance and preparedness against zoonotic diseases.

Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology conducted a study, published in the journal Cell. The researchers found that the newly discovered virus, dubbed HKU5-CoV-2, has a key adaptation that allows it to infect a broad range of mammals, including humans.

Coronaviruses are a diverse group of viruses that infect mammals and birds. Seven known coronaviruses are capable of infecting humans, with varying levels of severity.

Mammals have slightly different versions of ACE2 from one another, and it’s no guarantee that a bat-infecting coronavirus can bind to the human version of ACE2. But the team’s work found that strains of HKU5-CoV-2 could “efficiently” use human ACE2 (and other mammalian versions of ACE2) to enter cells.

Due to these suboptimal factors for human adaptation, the risk of BtHKU5-CoV-2 emergence in human populations should not be exaggerated, according to the scientists who said that despite this discovery, several factors make the virus less suited to humans for the time being. They emphasized the importance of studying such potential threats to stay ahead of future pandemics.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have long been concerned about the potential of coronaviruses to spark the next significant outbreak, given their prevalence across the animal kingdom. In 2006, researchers in Hong Kong identified a coronavirus inpipistrelle bats that was named HKU5-CoV. Although this virus did not appear to possess the necessary machinery to easily infect humans, the researchers from Wuhan pointed to a distinct lineage of HKU5-CoV, named HKU5-CoV-2, which they claim may pose a more significant risk to humans. Alongside their findings, they provided evidence that the antibodies produced by individuals after infection with SARS-CoV-2 may not provide protection against HKU5-CoV-2, demonstrating the evolving nature of coronaviruses.

Although these discoveries are alarming, they do not guarantee that HKU5-CoV-2 will become the next major global health threat, as “no human cases of HKU5-CoV-2 have been reported to date.” Moreover, even if a virus is theoretically capable of spreading from animals to humans, it does not always mean that it can spread easily between people, leaving us with the added layer of uncertainty.

Results of the study indicate that our battle against emergent infectious diseases will continue indefinitely. Despite these findings, it is critical to recognize that public health measures, such as virus surveillance, early detection, and preparedness, are critical for stopping or, at the very least, for mitigating the potential spread of future pandemics, no matter whether from coronaviruses, bird flu, or even an unstudied pathogen, this research underscores a series of concerning insights and several points of discussion.

The notion of a coronavirus reservoir being much more prevalent and evolving into something more immediately transmissible to humans is terrifying. Many of these viruses located in the environment have the potential to adapt and be influenced by other evolutionary factors.

There have been periods when the transition of a virus from a host to a non-host species did not go correctly—we notice this when there are issues with binding correctly or when the virus does not replicate efficiently. This should be reason for relief and celebration but studies such as the one highlighted illustrate that these elements can evolve quickly, rendering that situation fleeting.

Understanding the specific mechanisms of cross-species transmission of such viruses may grant us the insight we need to anticipate such events across all organisms. Long-term independent surveillance is essential across many organisms to uncover the next potential novel disease hotspot. Each virus observed in this capacity requires extensive study to understand how the disease transmission may cause changes and influence species selection of novel proteins that sometimes unintentionally select for or become optimized for entry into human hosts.