Lack of SARS-CoV-2 Viral RNA Detection among a Convenience Sampling of Ohio Wildlife, Companion, and Agricultural Animals, 2020–2021

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in humans in late 2019 and spread rapidly, becoming a global pandemic. A zoonotic spillover event from animal to human was identified as the presumed origin. Subsequently, reports began emerging regarding spillback events resulting in SARS-CoV-2 infections in multiple animal species. These events highlighted critical links between animal and human health while also raising concerns about the development of new reservoir hosts and potential viral mutations that could alter the virulence and transmission or evade immune responses. Characterizing susceptibility, prevalence, and transmission between animal species became a priority to help protect animal and human health. In this study, we coalesced a large team of investigators and community partners to surveil for SARS-CoV-2 in domestic and free-ranging animals around Ohio between May 2020 and August 2021. We focused on species with known or predicted susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, highly congregated or medically compromised animals (e.g., shelters, barns, veterinary hospitals), and animals that had frequent contact with humans (e.g., pets, agricultural animals, zoo animals, or animals in wildlife hospitals). This included free-ranging deer (n = 76 individuals), free-ranging mink (n = 57), multiple species of bats (n = 59), and other wildlife in addition to domestic cats (n = 275) and pigs (n = 184). In total, we tested 792 individual animals (34 species) via rRT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was not detected in any of the tested animals despite a major peak in human SARS-CoV-2 cases that occurred in Ohio subsequent to the peak of animal samplings. Importantly, we did not test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in this study, which limited our ability to assess exposure. While the results of this study were negative, the surveillance effort was critical and remains key to understanding, predicting, and preventing the re-emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in humans or animals.

Assessment of the Risk Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevalence between Cats and Dogs in America and Europe: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“… Forest Plot of the Meta-analysis regarding the difference in risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats in America and Europe [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. …”

“… Funnel plot of this meta-analysis. The symmetry of the graph is represented by the proportional and relatively well-distributed division on both sides of the horizontal axis of the circles in its plane [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. …”

The reverse zoonotic potential of SARS-CoV-2

“…Although areas with high COVID-19 rates in human populations have found infection in wildlife populations, the extent of wildlife infection globally is unclear. In certain parts of the world where RT-PCR methods were used to test samples from wildlife, the findings suggest that there are areas where wildlife have not yet been impacted by SARS-CoV-2; however, these studies would benefit from the use of methods that can test for previous infections, rather than single time points [ 83 , 84 ]. As SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate in human populations during a time when people are resuming travel, wild nonhuman primate populations are of particular concern for reverse zoonotic infection with COVID-19 leading to further zoonotic transmission of the virus.…”

Simian immunodeficiency virus and storage buffer: Field-friendly preservation methods for RNA viral detection in primate feces

“…Humans continue to be exposed to these RNA viruses through handling and consumption of primate bushmeat, so it is critical to investigate wild-living non-human primate populations to understand SIV prevalence, shedding, and transmission in natural hosts ( 3 , 4 ). Importantly, the COVID-19 pandemic also made us globally aware of the value and need for RNA virus surveillance in wild animal populations to assess health risks to humans and animals ( 5 – 8 ).…”