Author:
Despres Hannah W.,Mills Margaret G.,Schmidt Madaline M.,Gov Jolene,Perez Yael,Jindrich Mars,Crawford Allison M. L.,Kohl Warren T.,Rosenblatt Elias,Kubinski Hannah C.,Simmons Benjamin C.,Nippes Miles C.,Goldenberg Anne J.,Murtha Kristina E.,Nicoloro Samantha,Harris Mia J.,Feeley Avery C.,Gelinas Taylor K.,Cronin Maeve K.,Frederick Robert S.,Thomas Matthew,Johnson Meaghan E.,Murphy James,Lenzini Elle B.,Carr Peter A.,Berger Danielle H.,Mehta Soham P.,Floreani Christopher J.,Koval Amelia C.,Young Aleah L.,Fish Jess H.,Wallace Jack,Chaney Ella,Ushay Grace,Ross Rebecca S.,Vostal Erin M.,Thisner Maya C.,Gonet Kyliegh E.,Deane Owen C.,Pelletiere Kari R.,Rockafeller Vegas C.,Waterman Madeline,Barry Tyler W.,Goering Catriona C.,Shipman Sarah D.,Shiers Allie C.,Reilly Claire E.,Duff Alanna M.,Madruga Sarah L.,Shirley David J.,Jerome Keith R.,Pérez-Osorio Ailyn C.,Greninger Alexander L.,Fortin Nick,Mosher Brittany A.,Bruce Emily A.
Abstract
AbstractPrevious studies have documented natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 in various domestic and wild animals. More recently, studies have been published noting the susceptibility of members of the Cervidae family, and infections in both wild and captive cervid populations. In this study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian wildlife within the state of Vermont. 739 nasal or throat samples were collected from wildlife throughout the state during the 2021 and 2022 harvest season. Data was collected from red and gray foxes (Vulpes vulples and Urocyon cineroargentus, respectively), fishers (Martes pennati), river otters (Lutra canadensis), coyotes (Canis lantrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus rufus), black bears (Ursus americanus), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Samples were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 via quantitative RT-qPCR using the CDC N1/N2 primer set and/or the WHO-E gene primer set. Surprisingly, we initially detected a number of N1 and/or N2 positive samples with high cycle threshold values, though after conducting environmental swabbing of the laboratory and verifying with a second independent primer set (WHO-E) and PCR without reverse transcriptase, we showed that these were false positives due to plasmid contamination from a construct expressing the N gene in the general laboratory environment. Our final results indicate that no sampled wildlife were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and highlight the importance of physically separate locations for the processing of samples for surveillance and experiments that require the use of plasmid DNA containing the target RNA sequence. These negative findings are surprising, given that most published North America studies have found SARS-CoV-2 within their deer populations. The absence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in populations sampled here may provide insights in to the various environmental and anthropogenic factors that reduce spillover and spread in North American’s wildlife populations.
Funder
American Heart Association
NIH
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC