Epidemiological Study of Betacoronaviruses in Captive Malayan Pangolins

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has significantly affected international public health safety. It has been reported that the pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, could originate from bats and utilize the Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) as an intermediate host. To gain further insights into the coronaviruses carried by pangolins, we investigated the occurrence of Betacoronavirus (β-CoV) infections in captive Malayan pangolins in the Guangdong province of China. We detected three β-CoV-positive M. javanica individuals with a positive rate of 6.98% and also detected β-CoV in two dead pangolins sampled in August 2019. The CoV carried by pangolins is a new β-CoV, which is genetically related to SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was detected in eight organs of pangolins, with the highest ACE2 mRNA levels in the kidney, suggesting that these organs could be at a risk of β-CoV infection. These results enable us to better understand the status of β-CoV carried by Malayan pangolins, while providing a theoretical basis for better pangolin protection and viral control.