‘It’s a terrible study’: Mutant coronavirus created in China has 100% mortality rate in ‘humanized’ mice

The coronavirus, known to scientists as GX_P2V, was the subject of a study that caused controversy in the scientific community. The results of this work were posted online on the BioRxiv site, but have not been approved for publication in a scientific journal.

Chinese researchers modified this GX_P2V coronavirus, discovered on pangolins in 2017, to create a deadly virus when it was tested in “humanized” mice, as explained by our colleagues. Figaro. These mice carried the human protein and, in total, of the eight mice infected with the virus, all died between seven and eight days after contracting the infection. This modified coronavirus has a 100% fatality rate.

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In addition to the fact that death is considered “quick”, the scientists found that the viral load in the mice’s brains was particularly high. After infecting the respiratory system, the virus was found in the nervous system. Symptoms include completely white eyes, rapid weight loss and fatigue for all infected mice.

A “very unfavorable” benefit-risk balance

Hence the controversy of this work seems clear. Many scientists have warned about the potential risk of spreading such viruses in the environment. “The balance between these scientific lessons and the extremely dangerous potential of these manipulations is very unfavorable,” commented Bruno Kennard, Research Director of the CNRS and leader of the Viral Replication Team in the Architecture and Function of Biological Macromolecules (AFMB) Laboratory. in the columns of Figaro

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Professor Francois Belloux, an infectious diseases specialist based at University College London, commented on the study learned by forcibly infecting a strange breed of human mice with a random virus. On the other hand, I can see how such methods could go wrong.. .”

“I would be very concerned about the trajectory of such a virus if it were found in nature,” said ATN Decroly, CNRS research director and virologist at the AFMB laboratory, who is calling for action: “We must quickly control the manipulation of the virus. which have real epidemic potential.”

The practice is prohibited in France

This type of manipulation has long been framed by a moratorium that was lifted in 2017 but rules vary by country. According to our colleagues, these practices are completely prohibited in France.

Defenders of this type of study will advance the argument of scientific research that could lead to the discovery of a vaccine. But is the game worth it?