#Sars-CoV-2 (#COVID) found in samples of multiple species of #wildlife in the US. From a short news report in JAMA regarding a study in Nature Comm.
"SARS-CoV-2, the #virus that causes COVID-19, has previously been identified in certain species of wildlife, including white-tailed deer. But new research in Nature Communications suggests it may be common in other types of wildlife, especially species living near high-trafficked human areas.
The researchers took nasal and oral swabs from 23 common wildlife species in Virginia and Washington, DC, between May 2022 and September 2023. They detected the virus in 6 species of deer mouse, opossum, raccoon, groundhog, rabbit, and bat. The researchers also collected 126 blood samples from these 6 species, with 5 species displaying antibodies that indicated prior exposure. Their analysis showed that antibody detection was 3 times higher in animals near hiking trails and high-traffic public areas than in low human-use areas.
Additionally, the virus isolated from an opossum in 2022 showed previously unreported mutations, suggesting animal-to-animal transmission, the researchers reported. Although there is no evidence of viral transmission from animals to humans, the researchers stressed the need for further surveillance of novel mutations that could endanger wildlife and humans."
#Medmastodon @Medmastodon #IDmastodon #infectiousdiseases
The Nature study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49891-w
