OmniVira

Multi-species outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in a zoological institution, with the detection in two new families of carnivores.

Matthew C Allender1,2 Michael J Adkesson1 Jennifer N Langan1,3 Katie W Delk1 Thomas Meehan1 Copper Aitken-Palmer1 Michael M McEntire4 Mary L Killian5 Mia Torchetti5 Shirley A Morales6 Connie Austin7 Richard Fredrickson8 Colleen Olmstead8 Ruian Ke9 Rebecca Smith10 Eric T Hostnik1,11 Karen Terio12 Leyi Wang8
Affiliations 12 institutions
  1. Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, Illinois, USA.
  2. Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, University of Illinois Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  3. Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  4. Illinois Zoological and Aquatic Animal Residency, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  5. National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA.
  6. Cook County Department of Public Health, Forest Park, Illinois, USA.
  7. Illinois Department of Public Health, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
  8. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  9. T-6, Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, T Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA.
  10. Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  11. Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
  12. Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Brookfield, Illinois, USA.
PMID35839756 DOI10.1111/tbed.14662 Year2022 Journal Transboundary and emerging diseases Transbound Emerg Dis Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a worldwide distribution in humans and many other mammalian species. In late September 2021, 12 animals maintained by the Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo were observed with variable clinical signs. The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in faeces and nasal swabs by qRT-PCR, including the first detection in animals from the families Procyonidae and Viverridae. Test positivity rate was 12.5% for 35 animals tested. All animals had been vaccinated with at least one dose of a recombinant vaccine designed for animals and all recovered with variable supportive treatment. Sequence analysis showed that six zoo animal strains were closely correlated with 18 human SARS-CoV-2 strains, suggestive of potential human-to-animal transmission events. This report documents the expanding host range of COVID-19 during the ongoing pandemic.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
carnivore 2 Procyonidae 1 SARS-CoV-2 550 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Viverridae 12 zoo 3 COVID-19 425 SARS-CoV-2 453 Animals 1948 Disease Outbreaks 170 Humans 1440 Pandemics 108 Viverridae 12 SARS-CoV-2 variants 86

Evidence records

3 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
2 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
2 records
OVE6152 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant RNA was detected by qRT-PCR in faeces and nasal swabs from zoo animals at Brookfield Zoo.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
animals Metazoa Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

In late September 2021, 12 animals maintained by the Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo were observed with variable clinical signs. The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in faeces and nasal swabs by qRT-PCR.

Method
qRT-PCR
Sample type
faeces | nasal swabs
Geographic raw
Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo
Country inferred
USA
OVE6153 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was first detected in animals from the families Procyonidae and Viverridae at Brookfield Zoo.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
raccoon, coati & olingo Procyonidae Natural host civets Viverridae Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in faeces and nasal swabs by qRT-PCR, including the first detection in animals from the families Procyonidae and Viverridae.

Method
qRT-PCR
Sample type
faeces | nasal swabs
Geographic raw
Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo
Country inferred
USA
Transmission Evidence
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Cross-species Transmission
1 records
OVE6155 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

Sequence correlation between animal and human SARS-CoV-2 strains suggested human-to-animal spillback at Brookfield Zoo.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
animals Metazoa Natural host human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

Sequence analysis showed that six zoo animal strains were closely correlated with 18 human SARS-CoV-2 strains, suggestive of potential human-to-animal transmission events.

Method
sequence analysis | qRT-PCR
Study design
outbreak investigation with genomic comparison
Transmission direction
human-to-animal
Geographic raw
Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo