A recent study has uncovered 125 virus species on fur farms in China. Researchers warn that these farms could become a global health risk and potential source of new pandemics.
A study published in the journal “Nature” has revealed that fur farms may pose a significant risk as breeding grounds for pathogens that could potentially jump to humans. Researchers discovered 125 virus species in animals from Chinese fur farms, including 36 new species and 39 virus strains with a potentially “high risk” of cross-species transmission.
The study, led by Chinese scientists, analyzed genetic material from lung and intestinal samples of 461 animals, including minks, rabbits, foxes, and raccoon dogs, that died from diseases between 2021 and 2024 in China. While most animals came from fur farms, some were also kept for meat production or traditional medicine, including about 50 wild animals.
Diverse range of viruses discovered
Among the viruses found, some, like Hepatitis E and Japanese encephalitis, were already known to potentially spread to humans. However, 13 of the 39 virus species identified as having a “high risk” of cross-species transmission were newly discovered.
Several types of avian influenza were detected in guinea pigs, minks, and muskrats. Additionally, seven types of coronaviruses were found, although none were closely related to SARS-CoV-2, which first appeared in China in late 2019 and triggered the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Calls for action and concern from experts
Virologist Edward Holmes from the University of Sydney, who has previously researched COVID-19, expressed concern about the study’s findings. He stated that the global fur animal industry is “one of the most likely possibilities for the outbreak of a new pandemic” and personally believes that this industry should be closed.
The risk of zoonoses, infectious diseases like COVID-19 that can be transmitted between animals and humans, is particularly high on fur farms. According to PETA, the main reasons include extremely cramped and unhygienic housing conditions with hundreds or even thousands of animals with low genetic diversity.
Potential threats and need for vigilance
Holmes is most concerned about the HKU5 bat coronavirus, which was found in two farmed minks and is related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, which can be fatal to humans. “The fact that we now see it has jumped from bats to farmed mink should set off alarm bells,” Holmes said, calling for this virus to be monitored.
It is believed that thousands of unknown virus species circulate among wild mammals. Scientists fear that fur farms could lead to livestock becoming infected with such viruses, potentially bringing humans into contact with these pathogens as well.
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