Publication Database

Potential zoonotic sources of SARS-CoV-2 infections (2021)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Jo, Wendy K.

de Oliveira-Filho, Edmilson Ferreira

Rasche, Andrea

Greenwood, Alex D. (WE 5)

Osterrieder, Klaus (WE 5)

Drexler, Jan Felix

Quelle

Transboundary and emerging diseases

Bandzählung: 68

Heftzählung: 4

Seiten: 1824 – 1834

ISSN: 1865-1674

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tbed.13872

DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13872

Pubmed: 33034151

Kontakt

Institut für Virologie

Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 51833
virologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) likely has evolutionary origins in other animals than humans based on genetically related viruses existing in rhinolophid bats and pangolins. Similar to other animal coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 contains a functional furin cleavage site in its spike protein, which may broaden the SARS-CoV-2 host range and affect pathogenesis. Whether ongoing zoonotic infections are possible in addition to efficient human-to-human transmission remains unclear. In contrast, human-to-animal transmission can occur based on evidence provided from natural and experimental settings. Carnivores, including domestic cats, ferrets and minks, appear to be particularly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 in contrast to poultry and other animals reared as livestock such as cattle and swine. Epidemiologic evidence supported by genomic sequencing corroborated mink-to-human transmission events in farm settings. Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between experimentally infected cats additionally substantiates the possibility of cat-to-human transmission. To evaluate the COVID-19 risk represented by domestic and farmed carnivores, experimental assessments should include surveillance and health assessment of domestic and farmed carnivores, characterization of the immune interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and carnivore coronaviruses, determination of the SARS-CoV-2 host range beyond carnivores and identification of human risk groups such as veterinarians and farm workers. Strategies to mitigate the risk of zoonotic SARS-CoV-2 infections may have to be developed in a One Health framework and non-pharmaceutical interventions may have to consider free-roaming animals and the animal farming industry.