Surprise COVID discovery helps explain how coronaviruses jump species (IMAGE)
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“The virus that causes COVID-19 uses ACE2 as the front door to infect cells, but we’ve found that if the front door is blocked, it can also use the back door or the windows,” said researcher Peter Kasson, MD, PhD, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “This means the virus can keep spreading as it infects a new species until it adapts to use a particular species’ front door. So we have to watch out for new viruses doing the same thing to infect us.”
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UVA Health
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May be used to accompany impartial news coverage of the COVID discovery. All other uses require express written permission of UVA Health.
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