SARS-CoV-2 could be lurking in animal hidey-holes
Many animals besides humans look as if they can catch the virus, too
IN THE FIELD of epidemiology, a “spillover” is a virus that has made the leap from one host species to another. The spillovers of most concern to people are those from other animals to Homo sapiens. These may then go on to create “zoonotic” human diseases—of which covid-19 is believed to be one (the original host of SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have been an as-yet-undetermined species of bat).
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Reservoir dogs. And cats. And buffalo…”
From the November 20th 2021 edition
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