OmniVira

SARS-CoV-2 exposure in wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

Jeffrey C Chandler1 Sarah N Bevins1 Jeremy W Ellis1 Timothy J Linder2 Rachel M Tell3 Melinda Jenkins-Moore3 J Jeffrey Root1 Julianna B Lenoch2 Suelee Robbe-Austerman3 Thomas J DeLiberto1 Thomas Gidlewski2 Mia Kim Torchetti3 Susan A Shriner4,5
Affiliations 5 institutions
  1. National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80521.
  2. National Wildlife Disease Program, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80521.
  3. National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010.
  4. National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80521
  5. [email protected].
PMID34732584 DOI10.1073/pnas.2114828118 Year2021 Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

Widespread human SARS-CoV-2 infections combined with human-wildlife interactions create the potential for reverse zoonosis from humans to wildlife. We targeted white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) for serosurveillance based on evidence these deer have angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors with high affinity for SARS-CoV-2, are permissive to infection, exhibit sustained viral shedding, can transmit to conspecifics, exhibit social behavior, and can be abundant near urban centers. We evaluated 624 prepandemic and postpandemic serum samples from wild deer from four US states for SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Antibodies were detected in 152 samples (40%) from 2021 using a surrogate virus neutralization test. A subset of samples tested with a SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization test showed high concordance between tests. These data suggest white-tailed deer in the populations assessed have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
deer 47 SARS-CoV-2 550 wildlife disease 4 Animals 1948 COVID-19 425 Deer 46 Great Lakes Region 1 SARS-CoV-2 453 Seroepidemiologic Studies 113

Evidence records

1 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Serological Evidence
1 records
OVE5334 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 40% of serum samples from wild white-tailed deer collected in 2021 using neutralization-based assays.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

We evaluated 624 prepandemic and postpandemic serum samples from wild deer from four US states for SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Antibodies were detected in 152 samples (40%) from 2021 using a surrogate virus neutralization test.

Method
surrogate virus neutralization test | SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization test
Sample type
serum