Zoonotic Jumps Often Happen Without Special Viral Tweaks
TL;DR
An analysis of outbreaks of influenza A, Ebola, Marburg, mpox, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 finds no pre-spillover adaptive mutations; natural selection is normal in animal reservoirs and remains stable before spillover, with most changes occurring after human transmission begins; the study also notes a lab-origin signal for the 1977 H1N1 pandemic, but overall emphasizes reducing exposure and boosting surveillance to prevent future spillovers.
- Viruses That Jump to Humans Don't Need Special Mutations, Study Finds ScienceAlert
- A ‘nail in the coffin’ for the lab-leak theory? The Telegraph
- Zoonotic Viruses Can Spread Without Pre-Human Adaptation European Medical Journal
- Genetic signatures in SARS-CoV-2 show no evidence of lab origin 동아사이언스
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