OmniVira

GPS Tracking of Free-Roaming Cats (Felis catus) 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.
PMID36298686 DOI10.3390/v14102131 Year2022 Journal Viruses Languageeng Statusepublish

Abstract

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.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
cat 22 COVID-19 467 Felis catus 1 GPS 1 mink 58 mink farming 1 Neogale vison 3 SARS-CoV-2 550 spillover 105 surveillance 60 zoonosis 116 COVID-19 425 SARS-CoV-2 453 Animals 1948 Cats 120 Farms 30 Humans 1440 Mink 48 Utah 4

Evidence records

3 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
2 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE6473 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen was detected in free-roaming and feral cats living on or near mink farms in Utah.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
United States mink farms
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
investigation of outbreaks | viral detection assays (implied detection of active and past infections)
Sample type
samples collected from cats
Geographic raw
Utah | mink farms
Country inferred
USA
Evidence type Reservoir Ecology
1 records
OVE6474 Reservoir Ecology
Key finding

GPS-tracked free-roaming cats on SARS-CoV-2-infected mink farms in Utah frequently visited mink sheds and surrounding residential areas, showing ecological movement that may support viral circulation between mink farms and nearby communities.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
United States mink farms residential properties neighborhoods
Supporting text

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.

Method
GPS tracking
Sample type
GPS tracking data
Geographic raw
Utah | mink farms | residential properties | neighborhoods
Country inferred
USA
Transmission Evidence
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Outbreak Investigation
1 records
OVE6475 Outbreak Investigation
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks occurred on Utah mink farms beginning in late July 2020, causing high mink mortality and prompting an epidemiologic investigation.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
American mink Neogale vison Natural host domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
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.

Method
epidemiologic investigation | GPS tracking | sampling of cats
Transmission direction
unknown
Geographic raw
Utah
Country inferred
USA
Outbreak setting
Utah mink farms
Outbreak time
late July 2020
Outbreak scale
high mink mortality on several mink farms