COVID-19 immunity may help protect against other bat coronaviruses
People who recovered from COVID-19 infection or were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 are more likely to have immunity to other closely related bat coronaviruses that could threaten future human health.
People who recovered from COVID-19 or received the vaccine are more likely to have immunity against certain bat coronaviruses, according to a study by The Pirbright Institute and King's College London. The researchers found that bat coronaviruses closely related to SARS-CoV-2 are most likely to be recognized by immunity generated through COVID-19 infection.
These "generalist" bat coronaviruses can use ACE2 receptors from a wide range of animal species, including humans, livestock, and rodents. The study suggests that widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 may have raised the barrier for these related viruses to establish themselves in human populations. Antibodies from COVID-19 survivors successfully neutralized related bat coronaviruses more strongly than distant ones, indicating broader protection.
The findings could help in the development of next-generation vaccines and therapeutics targeting conserved spike regions of bat sarbecoviruses.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
