Cited by 400SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchAnimal Virus Infections StudiesZoonotic diseases and public health

A review of studies on animal reservoirs of the SARS coronavirus

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Shi, Zhengli, Hu, Zhihong·2008·Virus Research

Abstract

In this review, we summarize the researches on animal reservoirs of the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Masked palm civets were suspected as the origin of the SARS outbreak in 2003 and was confirmed as the direct origin of SARS cases with mild symptom in 2004. Sequence analysis of the SARS-CoV-like virus in masked palm civets indicated that they were highly homologous to human SARS-CoV with nt identity over 99.6%, indicating the virus has not been circulating in the population of masked palm civets for a very long time. Alignment of 10 complete viral genome sequences from masked palm civets with those of human SARS-CoVs revealed 26 conserved single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) in the viruses from masked palm civets. These conserved SNVs were gradually lost from the genomes of viruses isolated from the early phase to late phase human patients of the 2003 SARS epidemic. In 2005, horseshoe bats were identified as the natural reservoir of a group of coronaviruses that are distantly related to SARS-CoV. The genome sequences of bat SARS-like coronavirus had about 88-92% nt identity with that of the SARS-CoV. The prevalence of antibodies and viral RNA in different bat species and the characteristics of the bat SARS-like coronavirus were elucidated. Apart from masked palm civets and bats, 29 other animal species had been tested for the SARS-CoV, and the results are summarized in this paper.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.virusres.2007.03.012

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  • The proximal source of SARS-CoV was likely exotic animals in a live animal market in Guangdong, most probably palm civets and perhaps raccoon dogs.

    “For example, the proximal source of SARS-CoV, the virus that led to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003–04, was likely to have been exotic animals in a live animal market in Guangdong, China—most probably palm civets (Paguma larvata) and perhaps raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides).55”

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Gao Y. Fauna Sinica Mammalia Carnivora 1987 Science Press Beijing p. 8
  2. Holmes, K.V., 2001. Coronaviridae and their replication. In: Knipe, D.M., Roizman, B., Howley, P.M., Straus, S.E., Fields, B.N., Griffin, D.E., Martin, M.A., L.R.A. (Eds.), Fields Virology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, pp. 1187–1203.
  3. Kunz T.H. Fenton M.B. Bat Ecology 2003 University of Chicago Press Chicago
  4. Shao, M., Li, J., 1997. Raising and management of masked palm civet (P. larvata). J. Shaanxi Normal Univ. (Nat. Sci. ed.) 25 (Suppl.), 157–161.
  5. Tong Y.R. The resources of the precious fur animals in China Tong Y.R. Qian G.C. A Comprehensive Breeding Technique of Chinese Fur Animals 1990 Chinese Agricultural Science and Technology Press Beijing, China 15 24 (chapter 1)
  6. Zhang R. Zoogeography of China vol. 238 1999 Academy Press p. 477

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Authors
Shi, Z., & Hu, Z.
Affiliations
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Venue
Virus Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2008-04
Volume
133
Issue
1
Pages
74-87
ISSN
0168-1702 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2044343035
Cited by
400
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 79 · 2020: 106 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 12
FWCI
7.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Virus Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
European Commission
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Zoonotic diseases and public health
Keywords
SARS coronavirus, reservoir hosts, masked palm civet, horseshoe bats, 2003 SARS outbreak, single nucleotide variants, zoonotic transmission
MeSH terms
Animals, Antibodies, Viral, Base Sequence, Chiroptera, Disease Reservoirs, Humans, Molecular Sequence Data, Viral Proteins, Sequence Alignment, Genome, Viral, Coronavirus, Feline, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, Viverridae

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