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Review
. 2012 Dec;65(6):477-89.
doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2012.10.002. Epub 2012 Oct 13.

Is the discovery of the novel human betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012 (HCoV-EMC) the beginning of another SARS-like pandemic?

Jasper F W Chan  1 , Kenneth S M Li, Kelvin K W To, Vincent C C Cheng, Honglin Chen, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Affiliations
Review

Is the discovery of the novel human betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012 (HCoV-EMC) the beginning of another SARS-like pandemic?

Jasper F W Chan et al. J Infect. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Fouchier et al. reported the isolation and genome sequencing of a novel coronavirus tentatively named "human betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012 (HCoV-EMC)" from a Saudi patient presenting with pneumonia and renal failure in June 2012. Genome sequencing showed that this virus belongs to the group C species of the genus betacoronavirus and phylogenetically related to the bat coronaviruses HKU4 and HKU5 previously found in lesser bamboo bat and Japanese Pipistrelle bat of Hong Kong respectively. Another patient from Qatar with similar clinical presentation and positive RT-PCR test was reported in September 2012. We compare and contrast the clinical presentation, laboratory diagnosis and management of infection due to this novel coronavirus and that of SARS coronavirus despite the paucity of published information on the former. Since 70% of all emerging infectious pathogens came from animals, the emergence of this novel virus may represent another instance of interspecies jumping of betacoronavirus from animals to human similar to the group A coronavirus OC43 possibly from a bovine source in the 1890s and the group B SARS coronavirus in 2003 from bat to civet and human. Despite the apparently low transmissibility of the virus at this stage, research preparedness against another SARS-like pandemic is an important precautionary strategy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Phylogenetic tree of the novel human betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012 (HCoV-EMC) and other coronaviruses. The tree was constructed by the neighbour-joining method using clustalX 2.0.12. The scale bar indicates the estimated number of substitutions per 20 nucleotides. ALCCoV, Asian leopard cat coronavirus (EF584908); AntelopeCoV, sable antelope coronavirus (EF424621); BCoV, bovine coronavirus (NC_003045); BuCoV HKU11, bulbul coronavirus HKU11 (FJ376619); BWCoV-SW1, beluga whale coronavirus SW1 (NC_010646); CCoV, canine coronavirus (GQ477367); CMCoV HKU21, common moorhen coronavirus HKU21 (NC_016996); ECoV, equine coronavirus (NC_010327); FIPV, feline infectious peritonitis virus (AY994055); GiCoV, giraffe coronavirus (EF424622); HCoV-EMC, human betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012; HCoV-229E, human coronavirus 229E (NC_002645); HCoV-HKU1, human coronavirus HKU1 (NC_006577); HCoV-NL63, human coronavirus NL63 (NC_005831); HCoV-OC43, human coronavirus OC43 (NC_005147); Hi-BatCoV HKU10, Hipposideros bat coronavirus HKU10 (JQ989269); IBV, infectious bronchitis virus (NC_001451); IBV-partridge, partridge coronavirus (AY646283); IBV-peafowl, peafowl coronavirus (AY641576); MHV, murine hepatitis virus (NC_001846); Mi-BatCoV 1A, Miniopterus bat coronavirus 1A (NC_010437); Mi-BatCoV 1B, Miniopterus bat coronavirus 1B (NC_010436); Mi-BatCoV HKU8, Miniopterus bat coronavirus HKU8 (NC_010438); MRCoV HKU18, magpie robin coronavirus HKU18 (NC_016993); MunCoV HKU13, munia coronavirus HKU13 (FJ376622); NHCoV HKU19, night heron coronavirus HKU19 (NC_016994); PEDV, porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (NC_003436); PHEV, porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (NC_007732); Pi-BatCoV-HKU5, Pipistrellus bat coronavirus HKU5 (NC_009020); PorCoV HKU15, porcine coronavirus HKU15 (NC_016990); PRCV, porcine respiratory coronavirus (DQ811787); RbCoV HKU14, rabbit coronavirus HKU14 (NC_017083); RCoV, rat coronavirus (NC_012936); Rh-BatCoV HKU2, Rhinolophus bat coronavirus HKU2 (EF203064); Ro-BatCoV-HKU9, Rousettus bat coronavirus HKU9 (NC_009021); Ro-BatCoV HKU10, Rousettus bat coronavirus HKU10 (JQ989270); SARS CoV, SARS-related human coronavirus (NC_004718); SARSr-CiCoV, SARS-related palm civet coronavirus (AY304488); SARSr CoV CFB, SARS-related Chinese ferret badger coronavirus (AY545919); SARSr-Rh-BatCoV HKU3, SARS-related Rhinolophus bat coronavirus HKU3 (DQ022305); Sc-BatCoV 512, Scotophilus bat coronavirus 512 (NC_009657); SpCoV HKU17, sparrow coronavirus HKU17 (NC_016992); TCoV, turkey coronavirus (NC_010800); TGEV, transmissible gastroenteritis virus (NC_002306); ThCoV HKU12, thrush coronavirus HKU12 (FJ376621); Ty-BatCoV-HKU4, Tylonycteris bat coronavirus HKU4 (NC_009019); WECoV HKU16, white-eye coronavirus HKU16 (NC_016991); WiCoV HKU20, wigeon coronavirus HKU20 (NC_016995). (B) Genome organizations of members of group B and group C betacoronaviruses showing that the novel HCoV-EMC has similar genome arrangements to other group C betacoronaviruses but different from other group B betacoronaviruses. PL, papain-like protease; 3CL, chymotrypsin-like protease; RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; Hel, helicase; S, spike; E, envelope; M, membrane; N, nucleocapsid.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) and (B) Lesser bamboo bat (Tylonycteris pachypus), often found dwelling in hollows of bamboo plants in South East Asia, from which bat coronavirus HKU4 was first discovered. (C) and (D) Japanese Pipistrelle (Pipistrelle abramus), often found at ceilings and roof tops of residential houses in South East Asia, from which bat coronavirus HKU5 was first discovered.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proposed working algorithm for the diagnosis, management, and infection control of suspected and confirmed cases of HCoV-EMC infection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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