Researchers have identified nearly 20 infections in white-tailed deer living in the Staten Island district: “So it can evolve into new variants”
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Nearly 20 Omicron infections have been identified in white-tailed deer living in the borough of Staten Island, New York. This is the first evidence of a species jump related to the most recent variant of concern, a phenomenon called an overflow in which a pathogen changes from an animal species (in this case humans) to a new host species (white-tailed deer). ).
The discovery comes from a Pennsylvania State University research team that, between December 2021 and January 2022, analyzed blood samples and nasal swabs from 131 white-tailed deer, revealing that almost 15% (19 specimens) had antibodies to Sars -Cov-2. « It is important to emphasize – the authors of the survey write in their pre-publication report on bioRxiv – that Sars-Cov-2 RNA was detected in nasal swabs from 7 of the 68 (10.3%) deer sampled and whole genome sequencing identified that the Omicron variant is circulating among White-tailed deer on Staten Island« . Analyzes aimed at studying the genetic origin of the virus also revealed that “The Omicron sequences in deer have clustered closely with other Omicron sequences recently reported in human infections in New York and elsewhere, and are consistent with the human-to-deer overflow« .
This is not the first time that Sars-Cov-2 infections have been detected in white-tailed deer. In a study last year, researchers at Pennsylvania State University identified the virus in regarding a third of white-tailed deer sampled in Iowa between September 2020 and January 2021. And another research team also identified it in a third of the deer sampled in Ohio. between January and March 2021. Coronavirus infections in white-tailed deer have been reported in 15 US states, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
“Thus, it can evolve into new variants”
« It was not expected to find such a high level of infection – said Suresh Kuchipudi, lead author of the new study and associate director of the animal diagnostic laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. It was quite surprising, and quite disturbing too« .
Researchers are concerned that the deer might serve as a reservoir for Sars-Cov-2. And, in the worst case, that the virus might evolve to a greater ability of immune evasion, and then return to humans (spillback) as a more dangerous variant. « The circulation of the virus in an animal population always increases the possibility of overflow, but above all it offers greater possibilities for the virus to evolve into new variants – added Kuchipudi -. AND qWhen a virus mutates completely, it can evade current vaccines« .
Deer are not the only animals infected with Sars-Cov-2. The virus has also been found in cats, dogs, ferrets, mink, tigers, lions, pigs and rabbits but infections in white-tailed deer worry experts because, in addition to being very vulnerable to infection, white-tailed deer are particularly prevalent in the United States and live in close proximity to humans. At the moment, however, there is no evidence that wild deer can transmit the virus to humans, but the new data highlight ” the urgent need for comprehensive monitoring of sensitive animal species in order to identify ecological transmission networks and assess potential risks of return to humansThe researchers conclude.
