Researchers: Coronavirus May Be 20 Times More Likely To Bind To Human Cells Than SARS

As we begin to uncover more of what the Covid-19 novel coronavirus truly is capable of, new developments that have emerged only seem to be all the more harrowing. After all, preliminary research has already shown that male patients who have been infected by it may wind up infertile. But in another recent development, things don’t seem to get any less grim, in this report by South China Morning Post.

Source: scmp

In new findings made by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, the Covid-19 novel coronavirus shares the same functional host cell in the human body as SARS does– angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

And in comparing the two different viruses, it is shown that Covid-19 is almost a whole 20 times more likely to bind to ACE2 than SARS would be.

Source: the inquisitr

The same researchers also found that while the Covid-19 coronavirus’ receptor-binding domain (RBD) shares a pretty similar structure to SARS, it lacks the appreciable binding to three published Sars RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Which means that antibodies used to fight off SARS may not necessarily keep you safe from Covid-19.

“Compared with SARS-CoV, Covid-19 appears to be more readily transmitted from human to human,” the report of the study said.

“The high affinity of Covid-19 S for human ACE2 may contribute to the apparent ease with which Covid-19 can spread from human to human.”

Source: the sun daily

Which means that given this preliminary research, data found suggests that the rate of infection of the Covid-19 coronavirus is actually much higher than that of SARS. Further reading on the topic may be found here.

All the more reason why we all should work together and practice good hygiene habits, don’t you guys think? 

Also read: Wuhan Virus Feared To Be New ‘Super-Spreader’ Disease After Spreading To The U.S