Abstract
The impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on wildlife is largely unevaluated, and extended surveillance of animal species is needed to reach a consensus on the role of animals in the emergence and maintenance of SARS-CoV-2. This infection has been detected in farmed and domestic animals and wild animals, mainly in captivity. The interactions or shared resources with wildlife could represent a potential transmission pathway for the SARS-CoV-2 spill over to other wild species and could lead to health consequences or the establishment of new reservoirs in susceptible hosts. This study evaluated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in European mink (Mustela lutreola) and American mink (Neogale vison) in Spain by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the receptor binding domain (RBD) of Spike antigen in serum samples and/or by RT-qPCR assays in oropharyngeal and rectal swabs. From January 2020 to February 2022, a total of 162 animals (127 European mink and 35 American mink) with no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in the study. Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 were not found in the serum samples analysed (n = 126), nor was the virus amplified by RT-qPCR (n = 160 swabs). Our results suggest that the potential role of wild mink and the European mink bred in captivity and released to the wild as dispersers of SARS-CoV-2 is so far low. However, wildlife surveillance for early detection of human and animal risks should be continued. In this sense, epidemiological monitoring measures, including serology and molecular analysis, are necessary.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Artikelnummer | 1971 |
| Tidsskrift | Animals |
| Vol/bind | 12 |
| Udgave nummer | 15 |
| ISSN | 2076-2615 |
| DOI | |
| Status | Udgivet - 2022 |
Bibliografisk note
Funding Information:This research was funded by grants for COVID-19 research from Gobierno de Aragon ((E34_R17, LMP58_18 and TB13667) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/0030).
Funding Information:
We thank Jovita Fernández-Pinero and Elisa Pérez-Ramírez (Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal CISA (INIA-CSIC), Valdeolmos, Madrid) for their help with the internal control. R.H.-G. was supported by ARAID Foundation. Work in the R.H.-G. laboratory is funded by MCNU (CTQ2013-44367-C2-2-P, BFU2016-75633-P and PID2019-105451GB-I00) and Gobierno de Aragón (E34_R17 and LMP58_18) with FEDER (2014–2020) funds for ‘Building Europe from Aragón’ for financial support. Work in the J.P. laboratory is funded by FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional, Gobierno de Aragón (Group B29_17R), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación e Universidades (MCNU), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (SAF2017-83120-C2-1-R), Fundacion Inocente Inocente, ASPANOA and Carrera de la Mujer de Monzón, CIBER -Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- (CB 2021), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea—NextGenerationEU. L.S. was supported by a PhD fellowship (FPI) from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. R.H.-G. and J.P. also specifically acknowledge the funding from the Gobierno de Aragón to tackle COVID-19. Work in the SVS laboratory is funded by Gobierno de Aragón (Dirección General de Medio Natural y Gestión forestal. Departamento de Agricultura, ganadería y medio ambiente. Reference TB13667). We also thank to staff from Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre de Martioda (Álava), Centro de Recuperación de Fauna de La Fombera (Logroño), Centro de Recuperación de Fauna de La Alfranca (Zaragoza), as well as staff of European mink breeding centres in Spain (Foundation FIEB) and in Estonia (Tallinn Zoo) for providing samples from captive-bred animals. Sampling in the field was possible thanks to the conservation work of European mink and American mink control funded by the Government of La Rioja, the Diputación de Álava, the Government of Navarra and the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, developed by the TRAGSATEC staff.
Funding Information:
Samples from European and American mink screened for SARS-CoV-2 were collected from January 2020 to February 2022. Data such as species identification and geographic origin were recorded for every animal. This survey was performed during the regular processes carried out in the programmes for the conservation of the European mink and the control of the American mink. These programmes were authorized and supported by the Spanish Government (18MNES002; Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge), and Regional-Governments (09-7-4-02-0051/2020, 09-7-4.02-0034/2021, A/2021/030, A/2022/030; Diputación Foral de Álava, Gobierno de La Rioja, Gobierno de Aragón and Gobierno de Navarra). The care and use of animals were performed according to the Spanish Policy for Animal Protection RD 53/2013, which meets the European Union Directive 2010/63 on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.