No, the lethal part is related to the virus, not the host. When the SARS CoV was first isolated, its origin was unknown. Although it was clearly a coronavirus (which in humans cause about 30% of common colds), it was clearly unique.
Recently, a virus closely related to SARS CoV was isolated from several civets in Guangdong Province. The civet isolates had an additional 29 nucleotides. All human isolates except one, GZ01, isolated from Guangzhou, are missing these 29 nucleotides. This deletion may have triggered the jump from animals to humans.
There are also 7 additional mutations found in almost all isolates linked to the Metropole Hotel, the epicenter for SARS in Hong Kong, Hanoi, Singapore, and Toronto.
The viruses being transmitted in these areas have most of these mutations, and have the potential of expanding SARS significantly in the fall, during cold and flu season. |
