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Literature detail

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 Variant Can Transmit in Rats But Not in Mice.

Cheng Zhang1,2 Huan Cui1,3 Entao Li1 Zhendong Guo1 Tiecheng Wang1 Fang Yan1 Lina Liu1 Yuanguo Li1 Di Chen1 Keyin Meng1 Nan Li1 Chengfeng Qin4 Juxiang Liu2 Yuwei Gao1 Chunmao Zhang1
Affiliations 4 institutions
  1. Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China.
  2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China.
  3. College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
  4. Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.
PMID 35572504 2022 Front Immunol eng epublish
PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

Previous studies have shown that B.1.351 and other variants have extended the host range of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to mice. Sustained transmission is a prerequisite for viral maintenance in a population. However, no evidence of natural transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in wild mice has been documented to date. Here, we evaluated the replication and contact transmission of the B.1.351 variant in mice and rats. The B.1.351 variant could infect and replicate efficiently in the airways of mice and rats. Furthermore, the B.1.351 variant could not be transmitted in BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice but could be transmitted with moderate efficiency in rats by direct contact. Additionally, the B.1.351 variant did not transmit from inoculated Syrian hamsters to BALB/c mice. Moreover, the mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain C57MA14 did not transmit in mice. In summary, the risk of B.1.351 variant transmission in mice is extremely low, but the transmission risk in rats should not be neglected. We should pay more attention to the potential natural transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants in rats and their possible spillback to humans.

B.1.351 contact transmission mice rats SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Animals Cricetinae Humans Mice Mice, Inbred BALB C Mice, Inbred C57BL Rats SARS-CoV-2 variants

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

4 total
Host Range Experiment 3 records
Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 0.97
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 variant transmitted between rats but not mice in direct contact experiments.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Host
Rattus
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

The B.1.351 variant could not be transmitted in BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice but could be transmitted with moderate efficiency in rats by direct contact.

Method
experimental infection; contact transmission assay
Sample type
airways
Experimental system
in vivo animal experiment
Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 0.97
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 variant failed to transmit between mice.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

The B.1.351 variant could not be transmitted in BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice.

Method
experimental infection; contact transmission assay
Sample type
airways
Experimental system
in vivo animal experiment
Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 0.97
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 variant did not transmit from Syrian hamsters to BALB/c mice.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Additionally, the B.1.351 variant did not transmit from inoculated Syrian hamsters to BALB/c mice.

Method
contact transmission assay
Experimental system
in vivo animal experiment
Cross Species Transmission 1 records
Cross Species Transmission Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 variant failed to transmit from Syrian hamsters to BALB/c mice in an experimental setting.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Additionally, the B.1.351 variant did not transmit from inoculated Syrian hamsters to BALB/c mice.

Method
experimental infection; contact transmission test
Study design
animal experiment
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal