A strain of coronavirus that has devastated the pork industry has the potential to infect humans as well, according to new research.

The coronavirus strain, known as swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), emerged from bats and has infected swine herds throughout China since it was first discovered in 2016. Outbreaks of such an illness have the potential to wreak economic havoc in many countries across the globe that rely on the pork industry.

The virus’ potential threat to people was demonstrated in lab tests that revealed SADS-CoV efficiently replicated in human liver and gut cells, as well as airway cells. The findings were published Oct. 12 in PNAS.

Though it is in the same family of viruses as the betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19 in humans, SADS-CoV is an alphacoronavirus that causes gastrointestinal illness in swine. The virus causes severe diarrhea and vomiting and has been especially deadly to young piglets.

SADS-COV is also distinct from two circulating common cold alphacoronaviruses in humans, HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63.

«While many investigators focus on the emergent potential of the betacoronaviruses like SARS and MERS, actually the alphacoronaviruses may prove equally prominent — if not greater — concerns to human health, given their potential to rapidly jump between species,» said Ralph Baric, professor of epidemiology at UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health.

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Materials provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.