As SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, continues to spread globally, questions have emerged about the potential for humans to transmit the virus to North American wildlife, its potential effects on native wildlife populations, and the resultant possibility and consequences of establishing a persistent wildlife reservoir. Recent studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 in escaped or wild mink and white-tailed deer (Chandler et al. 2021, Hale et al. 2021, Ip et al. .2021, Kuchipudi et al. 2021, Shriner et al. 2021), suggesting that more One Health work is warranted.
Resources on SARS-CoV-2 and Wildlife
Wildlife Health Bulletin: SARS-CoV-2 and North American Wildlife
General Guidance for Communicating about SARS-CoV-2 in Wildlife
Reducing the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Spreading between People and Wildlife (CDC)
Guidelines for Working with Free-Ranging Wild Mammals in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic (WOAH)
Risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 to North American bats during winter fieldwork (2021)
An opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America
SARS-CoV-2 exposure in escaped mink, Utah, USA
Experimental challenge of a North American bat species, big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), with SARS-CoV-2
Assessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment
- Overview
As SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, continues to spread globally, questions have emerged about the potential for humans to transmit the virus to North American wildlife, its potential effects on native wildlife populations, and the resultant possibility and consequences of establishing a persistent wildlife reservoir. Recent studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 in escaped or wild mink and white-tailed deer (Chandler et al. 2021, Hale et al. 2021, Ip et al. .2021, Kuchipudi et al. 2021, Shriner et al. 2021), suggesting that more One Health work is warranted.
Resources on SARS-CoV-2 and Wildlife
Wildlife Health Bulletin: SARS-CoV-2 and North American Wildlife
General Guidance for Communicating about SARS-CoV-2 in Wildlife
Reducing the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Spreading between People and Wildlife (CDC)
Guidelines for Working with Free-Ranging Wild Mammals in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic (WOAH)
Risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 to North American bats during winter fieldwork (2021)
- Publications
An opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America
In summer 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected on mink farms in Utah. An interagency One Health response was initiated to assess the extent of the outbreak and included sampling animals from on or near affected mink farms and testing them for SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS coronaviruses. Among the 365 animals sampled, including domestic cats, mink, rodents, raccSARS-CoV-2 exposure in escaped mink, Utah, USA
In August 2020, outbreaks of coronavirus disease were confirmed on mink farms in Utah, USA. We surveyed mammals captured on and around farms for evidence of infection or exposure. Free-ranging mink, presumed domestic escapees, exhibited high antibody titers, suggesting a potential severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission pathway to native wildlife.Experimental challenge of a North American bat species, big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), with SARS-CoV-2
The recently emerged novel coronavirus, SARS‐CoV‐2, is phylogenetically related to bat coronaviruses (CoVs), specifically SARS‐related CoVs from the Eurasian bat family Rhinolophidae. As this human pandemic virus has spread across the world, the potential impacts of SARS‐CoV‐2 on native North American bat populations are unknown, as is the ability of North American bats to serve as reservoirs or iAssessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment
The novel β-coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, may pose a threat to North American bat populations if bats are exposed to the virus through interaction with humans, if the virus can subsequently infect bats and be transmitted among them, and if the virus causes morbidity or mortality in bats. Further, if SARS-CoV-2 became established in bat populations, it could possibly serve as a source for new infection - News