New Delhi: A recent study published in the journal Nature has shed light on the potential dangers posed by animals farmed for fur, food, or traditional medicine. Species such as raccoon dogs, mink, and muskrats, which are commonly farmed for their fur, have been found to harbor numerous viruses, some of which could pose significant risks to human health. The study’s findings suggest that these animals could serve as reservoirs for emerging pathogens, potentially sparking new pandemics.
Researchers collected samples from 461 individual animals found dead due to disease on fur farms across China between 2021 and 2024. These animals included minks, raccoon dogs, foxes, guinea pigs, and rabbits. The team examined tissues from the lungs, intestines, and other organs of these animals, searching for viral pathogens. Their investigation revealed a startling 125 different viruses, 36 of which were novel. Even more concerning was that 39 of these viruses were classified as high-risk, meaning they had the potential for cross-species transmission, including to humans.
Among the viruses detected, several types of influensa A virus were found in guinea pigs, minks, and muskrats, including H1N2, H5N6, and H6N2. Additionally, multiple coronaviruses were identified, expanding the known host range of these viruses. Seven different species of coronaviruses were detected though none were closely related to SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID.
‘Alarm bell’ virus
One of the most concerning discoveries was the detection of the “Pipistrellus bat HKU5-like virus” in two minks, according to virologist Edward Holmes who was part of the group of scientists leading the study and a co-author. This virus, previously only identified in bats, is closely related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, which can be deadly to humans. The fact that it was found in farmed mink is a major cause for concern.
“That we now see that it jumped from bats to farmed mink must serve as an alarm bell,” Holmes, who is a professor at the University of Sydney and has led research into COVID-19, told AFP. Holmes emphasised the need for monitoring this virus closely to prevent potential outbreaks.
In addition to coronaviruses, the study identified known zoonotic viruses, such as hepatitis E and Japanese encephalitis, in some of the farmed animals. These viruses have already been transmitted to humans in the past, further highlighting the risk posed by fur farming as a hub for viral transmission. The researchers also documented potential virus transmission between farmed and wild animals, as well as from humans to farmed animals.
The rise of zoonotic diseases – infection that is transmissible from animals to humans – has been a growing concern since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is widely believed to have originated from bats before spilling over to humans. The study’s findings emphasise the role of fur farms as potential hotspots for viral spillovers. Holmes and the research team have called for increased surveillance of fur farm animals.
“These data also reveal potential virus transmission between farmed animals and wild animals, and from humans to farmed animals, indicating that fur farming represents an important transmission hub for viral zoonoses,” the study said.
