BIG GAME VIRUS HUNTING WITH COVID-19

Sir,

Africa, the mother continent, cradle of mankind, is home to more large mammal species than anywhere on earth. It is critical to protect and preserve these amazing creatures for their biodiversity and for the benefit of future generations, not to mention their importance to tourism. No one should want to hurt such impressive animals, but everyone wants to protect themselves from viruses. Wild animals no longer threaten most humans. Novel viruses do.    

 As a viral disease researcher, trained to fight invisibly small viruses, I imagine how waging war against deadly microbes might compare to hunting nature’s biggest, most dangerous animals. Could one imagine shooting a virus with a tranquiliser-dart to stop them in their tracks?  

 If viruses were big game, the worst viruses would be potentially the most dangerous animals. Ebola would be the elephant. Ebola’s closest viral relative, Marburg virus, the only other member of the filovirus family, would be the Rhinoceros. As dangerous as elephants and rhinos can be, untreated, both Ebola and Marburg kill 90 per cent of those they infect. Another virus just as deadly is Hantan virus. Compare Hantan to a hippopotamus. The hippo, the deadliest animal in Africa, annually kills more than any other.  

 Next to rabies that kills 100 per cent of those it infects, HIV is the deadliest virus. Untreated, HIV eventually kills 98 per cent to 100 per cent  of those infected. The primary difference is that HIV is a lentivirus - a ‘slow’ virus. While most deadly viruses kill within two to four weeks after infection, HIV takes between six and sixteen years to kill in most cases, mostly depending on the clade or species of HIV a person is infected with. Slow yes; but just as deadly in the end. 

 And influenza? That would be a warthog. Influenza normally kills 25 to 35 per cent of those infected annually. Influenza kills tens of thousands each year in America alone. It would kill many more if people did not get their annual flu shots.            

 What animal would SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 be? How about a Kudu, an imposingly large deer like animal with long curved horns? A kudu is unpredictable and could kill you, but more likely will walk away calmly into the bush. 

So how can one slow down a charging wild animal, or a viral infection raging out of control? Most doctors and governments are still baffled about how best to tackle SARS-CoV-2, the most recent assailant emerging from the viral world. Most hunters or game wardens know how to stop a dangerous wild animal in its tracks – with a gun. Since no one should want to harm one of nature’s most magnificent creatures, a tranquiller gun is preferable. Shooting a tranquiliser dart into a big game animal slows it down and harmlessly puts it to sleep. If only we could do the same to viral invaders. Fortunately, there is a way to do that although it may not work as well or as perfectly as a tranquiliser dart. What could that be?     

 Every doctor and most mothers know about inflammation. Most infections cause inflammation in the tissues they affect. Inflammation is a sign that the most primitive part of the immune system is fighting against a germ or virus. 

Just as a tranquiliser gun can immobilise any animal from elephant to zebra to kudu; by inhibiting NF-kB selenium, it can help reduce both inflammation and viral replication. More importantly, by increasing CD4, it boosts immune system defences to resist viral assault. How do we know that? Science has shown this time-after-time – virus-after-virus. While no ‘absolute proof’ exists yet that selenium can help against Covid-19, plenty of science demonstrates that it can help defend the body against most other deadly viruses. If it can save lives from the attack of the elephant, rhino and buffalo of viruses; logically it also should help against the kudu - SARS-CoV-2.     

If selenium can tame the elephant, the rhino and the buffalo of viruses, it should help against the kudu as well. While there is no irrefutable scientific proof yet, I would not bet against the fuel for the immune system helping tame COVID-19. 

Howard S. Armistead 

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