Question

Transmission of pathogens from animals to humans typically occurs in situations where humans are consuming bushmeat, illegally trading endangered animals, and/or entering into wild habitats. Why is an understanding of animal diversity and issues of animal trafficking critical not only for the conservation and preservation of animals and natural habitats, but also essential for global human health? Discuss this in terms of COVID 19, Ebola, and AIDS. In your answer include information on the following: a) What vertebrates are believed to be implicated as the source in COVID 19 and Ebola? Do we know which species/family/order is involved? If so, name the species/family/order. How has/is our lack of knowledge surrounding animal diversity limiting our ability to identify the source of these pathogens? b) For COVID 19, I mentioned during lecture that researchers suspect that the pangolin might be an intermediary in the transmission of this virus. What is a pangolin? In describing it, provide some information on where it lives, what family it belongs to, its current situation in the illegal animal trade and why it is believed to be a possible link in transmission. c) What vertebrate is believed to be the source of the virus responsible for AIDS? When, where and how did the virus make the jump to humans?

Answer 1

COVID 19 belongs to the corona virus family (Family of RNA viruses). It is believed that some strains of corona virus are zoonotic which means they spread from animals to human beings.

In continuation to this, COVID -19 was earlier thought to be spreading from bats as their genetic sequence data show presence of virus strain similar to that of COVID. But there are no enough scientific evidence to identify the source or original route of transmission to humans

Recently, it was found that the RNA traces obtained from genetic sequences of pangolin have higher percentage of similarity to the COVID -19 virus than that of virus showing that both virus and pangolin are intermediate species in the chain of transmission.

As per world bank, Pangolin is the most trafficked mammal and the current pandemic situation is because of this only. Pangolins are natives of Asia and Africa and even being a wild species is hunted for its meat and some medical applications.

With the current global scenario, it became clear that poaching of animals like pangolin is more than the threat of extinction.

Likewise, a virus named lentivirus which is found in chimpanzees and gorillas is genetically similar to the HIV virus causing AIDS in human. It is now believed that practice of hunting, butchering, and eating the meat of chimpanzees might have caused the transmission of this virus to humans in early 19 or 20th century

Like HIV and COVID 19, EBOLA too spreads from fruit bat, several monkey species, chimpanzees, gorillas, baboons, and duikers.