Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces
Objective: There is extensive evidence that SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the infectivity of virions in feces is poorly documented. Although the primary mode of transmission is airborne, the risk of transmission from contaminated feces remains to be assessed. Design:...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1777 |
| _version_ | 1797441331103006720 |
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| author | Sébastien Wurtzer Sandra Lacote Severine Murri Philippe Marianneau Elodie Monchatre-Leroy Mickaël Boni Olivier Ferraris Yvon Maday Ousmane Kébé Ndongo Dia Christophe Peyrefitte Harry Sokol OBEPINE Consortium Laurent Moulin Vincent Maréchal |
| author_facet | Sébastien Wurtzer Sandra Lacote Severine Murri Philippe Marianneau Elodie Monchatre-Leroy Mickaël Boni Olivier Ferraris Yvon Maday Ousmane Kébé Ndongo Dia Christophe Peyrefitte Harry Sokol OBEPINE Consortium Laurent Moulin Vincent Maréchal |
| author_sort | Sébastien Wurtzer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: There is extensive evidence that SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the infectivity of virions in feces is poorly documented. Although the primary mode of transmission is airborne, the risk of transmission from contaminated feces remains to be assessed. Design: The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 (infectivity and RNA) in human and animal feces was evaluated by virus isolation on cell culture and RT-qPCR, respectively. The exposure of golden Syrian hamsters to experimentally contaminated feces through intranasal inoculation has also been tested to assess the fecal-oral transmission route. Results: For periods that are compatible with average intestinal transit, the SARS-CoV-2 genome was noticeably stable in human and animal feces, contrary to the virus infectivity that was reduced in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. In human stools, this reduction was variable depending on the donors. Viral RNA was excreted in the feces of infected hamsters, but exposure of naïve hamsters to feces of infected animals did not lead to any productive infection. Conversely, hamsters could be experimentally infected following exposure to spiked fresh feces. Conclusion: Infection following exposure to naturally contaminated feces has been suspected but has not been established so far. The present work demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 rapidly lost infectivity in spiked or naturally infected feces. Although the possibility of persistent viral particles in human or animal feces cannot be fully ruled out, SARS-CoV-2 transmission after exposure to contaminated feces is unlikely. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:21:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-154717b3e1a34f5b816a9ed07c313f31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:21:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-154717b3e1a34f5b816a9ed07c313f312023-11-30T22:39:37ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-08-01148177710.3390/v14081777Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster FecesSébastien Wurtzer0Sandra Lacote1Severine Murri2Philippe Marianneau3Elodie Monchatre-Leroy4Mickaël Boni5Olivier Ferraris6Yvon Maday7Ousmane Kébé8Ndongo Dia9Christophe Peyrefitte10Harry Sokol11OBEPINE ConsortiumLaurent Moulin12Vincent Maréchal13Research and Development Department, Eau de Paris, 33 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, FranceANSES—Laboratoire de Lyon, Unité Virologie, 69007 Lyon, FranceANSES—Laboratoire de Lyon, Unité Virologie, 69007 Lyon, FranceANSES—Laboratoire de Lyon, Unité Virologie, 69007 Lyon, FranceNancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, ANSES, 54220 Malzéville, FranceFrench Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, FranceFrench Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, FranceLaboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions (LJLL), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, FranceInstitut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar 12900, SenegalInstitut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar 12900, SenegalInstitut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar 12900, SenegalINSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Saint Antoine Hospital, Gastroenterology Department, Sorbonne Université, 75571 Paris, FranceResearch and Development Department, Eau de Paris, 33 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, FranceINSERM U938, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Sorbonne Université, 75012 Paris, FranceObjective: There is extensive evidence that SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the infectivity of virions in feces is poorly documented. Although the primary mode of transmission is airborne, the risk of transmission from contaminated feces remains to be assessed. Design: The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 (infectivity and RNA) in human and animal feces was evaluated by virus isolation on cell culture and RT-qPCR, respectively. The exposure of golden Syrian hamsters to experimentally contaminated feces through intranasal inoculation has also been tested to assess the fecal-oral transmission route. Results: For periods that are compatible with average intestinal transit, the SARS-CoV-2 genome was noticeably stable in human and animal feces, contrary to the virus infectivity that was reduced in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. In human stools, this reduction was variable depending on the donors. Viral RNA was excreted in the feces of infected hamsters, but exposure of naïve hamsters to feces of infected animals did not lead to any productive infection. Conversely, hamsters could be experimentally infected following exposure to spiked fresh feces. Conclusion: Infection following exposure to naturally contaminated feces has been suspected but has not been established so far. The present work demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 rapidly lost infectivity in spiked or naturally infected feces. Although the possibility of persistent viral particles in human or animal feces cannot be fully ruled out, SARS-CoV-2 transmission after exposure to contaminated feces is unlikely.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1777SARS-CoV-2transmissionfecesstoolpersistenceinfectivity |
| spellingShingle | Sébastien Wurtzer Sandra Lacote Severine Murri Philippe Marianneau Elodie Monchatre-Leroy Mickaël Boni Olivier Ferraris Yvon Maday Ousmane Kébé Ndongo Dia Christophe Peyrefitte Harry Sokol OBEPINE Consortium Laurent Moulin Vincent Maréchal Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces Viruses SARS-CoV-2 transmission feces stool persistence infectivity |
| title | Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces |
| title_full | Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces |
| title_fullStr | Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces |
| title_short | Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces |
| title_sort | reduction in sars cov 2 virus infectivity in human and hamster feces |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 transmission feces stool persistence infectivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1777 |
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