New Strain of Coronavirus Detected in Swedish Rodent Black Voles

Several animals were discovered to harbor the virus in numerous studies related to COVID-19 and the pandemic. Most of them are species of bats, rodents, and pangolins located in various parts of the world. Some of the strains found in these animals can jump to humans.

Novel Coronavirus in Sweden

In a new study, experts from Sweden revealed that a separate strain of the coronavirus was detected in one of the rodent groups that populate the country. This species, known as the red-backed bank voles or Myodes glareolus, tested positive for a type of a common coronavirus called the Grimso virus.

Sweden's novel coronavirus is not yet screened regarding its capacity to transmit between animals and humans or the severity it could give to infected patients.

The authors believe that the findings are evidence of the benefits we could get from monitoring wildlife species, especially the creatures that co-exist in developed communities.

The new coronavirus strain was first discovered in the small village of Grimso, right in the county of Orebro, Sweden.

Uppsala University's Zoonosis Science Center specialist and author of the study Ake Lundkvist explained that there are still no concrete data regarding the threats that the Grimso virus could inflict on public health, but continuous research and monitoring are being held to understand more about the coronavirus between rodent species present in the region, PhysOrg reports.

Bank Voles and Grimso Virus

Bank voles inhabit almost every country across Europe. Their common activities frequently intersect with the lifestyles and communities of people in these regions. Prior to this study, bank voles were already tagged as common carriers of a separate infectious microbe called Puumala virus that causes the hemorrhagic fever 'nephropathia epidemica' in humans.

Bank voles reside in structures such as buildings and homes, especially when the weathers are extreme, and this serves as the most common factor that leads to widespread contraction among people.

Lundkvist's team was already monitoring rodent species for the various diseases they carry even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the uncontrollable change in the planet's climate and the disappearance of their natural habitats, these animals might come across us more often than before and might play a part in getting numerous viral strains we did not know before.

The investigation was made possible through the samples from 450 wild bank voles collected between 2015 and 2017. Of the specimens, 3.4 percent were found with a novel betacoronavirus.

Betacoronaviruses are present in both bats and rodents. These are strains that could be transmitted across species and even to humans. These infectious organisms are also the origins of common cold and respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

Alongside these smaller animals, there were records of larger creatures that can carry coronaviruses, including deers, which also inhabit near places where human communities are being built.

The study was published in Viruses, titled "Discovery of a Novel Coronavirus in Swedish Bank Voles (Myodes glareolus)."

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