Coronavirus is not one of the viruses that can be inserted into the human genome. This was stated by the head of the Yekaterinburg Research Institute of Viral Infections FBSI GNTs VB “Vector”, Doctor of Biological Sciences Alexander Semenov, reports RIA Novosti.
According to him, representatives of coronaviruses, that is, coronavirids, do not have the appropriate structures to integrate into the genome. At the same time, the virologist emphasized that there are some viruses that really have a similar ability. He added that the most famous of them are the human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus and various oncoviruses.
Earlier, Brazilian scientists came to the conclusion that the salivary glands are the reservoir of the spread of coronavirus infection in the human body. The researchers analyzed samples of three types of salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and small) from adult patients who died from COVID-19. As a result, they concluded that it is the tissues responsible for the production and secretion of saliva that serve as reservoirs for infection. Scientists have observed not only the presence of the pathogen, but also its replication in cells.
