Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease and has been spreading worldwide since December 2019. The virus can infect different animal species under experimental conditions, and mink on fur farms in Europe and other areas are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in 91 mink from a farm in northern Poland. Using reverse transcription PCR, antigen detection, and next-generation sequencing, we confirmed that 15 animals were positive for SARS-CoV-2. We verified this finding by sequencing full viral genomes and confirmed a virus variant that has sporadic mutations through the full genome sequence in the spike protein (G75V and C1247F). We were unable to find other SARS-CoV-2 sequences simultaneously containing these 2 mutations. Country-scale monitoring by veterinary inspection should be implemented to detect SARS-CoV-2 in other mink farms.
Full-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 from farmed mink in Poland identified a variant with unique spike protein mutations G75V and C1247F not found together in other sequences.
We verified this finding by sequencing full viral genomes and confirmed a virus variant that has sporadic mutations through the full genome sequence in the spike protein (G75V and C1247F). We were unable to find other SARS-CoV-2 sequences simultaneously containing these 2 mutations.
Genes or proteins
spike
Analysis methods
whole-genome sequencing; mutation analysis
Spillover Event1 records
Spillover EventExtraction confidence 0.80
Key finding
SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in farmed mink in Poland, consistent with human-to-mink spillback of the virus.
We investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in 91 mink from a farm in northern Poland. Using reverse transcription PCR, antigen detection, and next-generation sequencing, we confirmed that 15 animals were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
We investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in 91 mink from a farm in northern Poland. Using reverse transcription PCR, antigen detection, and next-generation sequencing, we confirmed that 15 animals were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
SARS-CoV-2 in Danish mink farms: course of the epidemic and a descriptive analysis of the outbreaks in 2020. Animals (Basel). 2021;11:164. 10.3390/ani11010164
Boklund
2021
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European Union Fur Association
2020
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Facts about breeding fur animals in Poland [in Polish]
Związku Przedsiębiorców i Pracodawców
2020
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COVID-19 situation update for the EU/EEA and the UK, 2021