OmniVira

Literature detail

GPS Tracking of Free-Roaming Cats (<i>Felis catus</i>) on SARS-CoV-2-Infected Mink Farms in Utah.

Brian R Amman1 Caitlin M Cossaboom1 Natalie M Wendling1 R Reid Harvey2 Hannah Rettler3 Dean Taylor4 Markus H Kainulainen1 Ausaf Ahmad1 Paige Bunkley1 Claire Godino1 Suxiang Tong1 Yan Li1 Anna Uehara1 Anna Kelleher1 Jing Zhang1 Brian Lynch1 Casey Barton Behravesh1 Jonathan S Towner1
Affiliations 4 institutions
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road Ne, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
  2. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA.
  3. Utah Department of Health, 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84114, USA.
  4. Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, 4315 South 2700 West #4, Taylorsville, UT 84129, USA.
PMID 36298686 2022 Viruses eng epublish
PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

Zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected humans to other animals has been documented around the world, most notably in mink farming operations in Europe and the United States. Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 on Utah mink farms began in late July 2020 and resulted in high mink mortality. An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms. Cats were captured using live traps, were sampled, fitted with GPS collars, and released on the farms. GPS tracking of these cats show they made frequent visits to mink sheds, moved freely around the affected farms, and visited surrounding residential properties and neighborhoods on multiple occasions, making them potential low risk vectors of additional SARS-CoV-2 spread in local communities.

cat COVID-19 Felis catus GPS mink mink farming Neogale vison SARS-CoV-2 spillover surveillance zoonosis COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Animals Cats Farms Humans Mink

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

5 total
Cross Species Transmission 1 records
Cross Species Transmission Extraction confidence 0.82
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in feral and free-roaming cats on mink farms experiencing SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, suggesting possible virus transmission between mink and cats.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
United States Utah, United States
Supporting text

An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms.

Method
sampling; GPS tracking
Study design
field surveillance
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
Utah
Country inferred
United States
Outbreak Investigation 1 records
Outbreak Investigation Extraction confidence 0.70
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks occurred on Utah mink farms in July 2020, with infections detected in mink and in free-roaming cats associated with these farms.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
United States Utah, United States
Supporting text

Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 on Utah mink farms began in late July 2020 and resulted in high mink mortality. An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms.

Method
sampling; GPS tracking
Transmission direction
human-to-animal
Geographic raw
Utah
Country inferred
United States
Outbreak setting
mink farms
Outbreak time
late July 2020
Outbreak scale
high mink mortality
Serological Evidence 1 records
Serological Evidence Extraction confidence 0.75
Key finding

Free-roaming and feral cats on or near mink farms in Utah showed serological evidence of current and past SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms.

Sample type
samples
Spillover Event 1 records
Spillover Event Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 infections were detected in free-roaming cats near infected mink farms, consistent with mink-to-cat transmission following prior human-to-mink spillover in Utah.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
United States Utah, United States
Supporting text

Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 on Utah mink farms began in late July 2020 and resulted in high mink mortality. An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms.

Method
sampling; GPS tracking
Study design
field surveillance
Transmission direction
animal-to-human
Geographic raw
Utah
Country inferred
United States
Zoonotic Surveillance 1 records
Zoonotic Surveillance Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Free-roaming and feral cats on SARS-CoV-2-infected mink farms in Utah were sampled and GPS-tracked as part of surveillance for evidence of infection and movement between farms and neighboring areas.

Virus
SARS-CoV-2
Location
United States Utah, United States
Supporting text

An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms. Cats were captured using live traps, were sampled, fitted with GPS collars, and released on the farms.

Method
sampling; GPS tracking
Geographic raw
Utah
Country inferred
United States