Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States
Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus with documented bi-directional transmission between people and animals. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) poses a unique public health risk due to the potential for reservoir establishment where v...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39782-x |
| _version_ | 1827899809578614784 |
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| author | Aijing Feng Sarah Bevins Jeff Chandler Thomas J. DeLiberto Ria Ghai Kristina Lantz Julianna Lenoch Adam Retchless Susan Shriner Cynthia Y. Tang Suxiang Sue Tong Mia Torchetti Anna Uehara Xiu-Feng Wan |
| author_facet | Aijing Feng Sarah Bevins Jeff Chandler Thomas J. DeLiberto Ria Ghai Kristina Lantz Julianna Lenoch Adam Retchless Susan Shriner Cynthia Y. Tang Suxiang Sue Tong Mia Torchetti Anna Uehara Xiu-Feng Wan |
| author_sort | Aijing Feng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus with documented bi-directional transmission between people and animals. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) poses a unique public health risk due to the potential for reservoir establishment where variants may persist and evolve. We collected 8,830 respiratory samples from free-ranging white-tailed deer across Washington, D.C. and 26 states in the United States between November 2021 and April 2022. We obtained 391 sequences and identified 34 Pango lineages including the Alpha, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants. Evolutionary analyses showed these white-tailed deer viruses originated from at least 109 independent spillovers from humans, which resulted in 39 cases of subsequent local deer-to-deer transmission and three cases of potential spillover from white-tailed deer back to humans. Viruses repeatedly adapted to white-tailed deer with recurring amino acid substitutions across spike and other proteins. Overall, our findings suggest that multiple SARS-CoV-2 lineages were introduced, became enzootic, and co-circulated in white-tailed deer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T23:22:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca3bde34f03f417dbc9cd4a590992d80 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T23:22:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca3bde34f03f417dbc9cd4a590992d802023-07-16T11:21:09ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-07-0114111710.1038/s41467-023-39782-xTransmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United StatesAijing Feng0Sarah Bevins1Jeff Chandler2Thomas J. DeLiberto3Ria Ghai4Kristina Lantz5Julianna Lenoch6Adam Retchless7Susan Shriner8Cynthia Y. Tang9Suxiang Sue Tong10Mia Torchetti11Anna Uehara12Xiu-Feng Wan13Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of MissouriUSDA APHIS Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease ProgramNational Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of AgricultureUSDA APHIS Wildlife ServicesOne Health Office, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNational Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of AgricultureUSDA APHIS Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease ProgramNational Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNational Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of AgricultureCenter for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of MissouriNational Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNational Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of AgricultureNational Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCenter for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of MissouriAbstract SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus with documented bi-directional transmission between people and animals. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) poses a unique public health risk due to the potential for reservoir establishment where variants may persist and evolve. We collected 8,830 respiratory samples from free-ranging white-tailed deer across Washington, D.C. and 26 states in the United States between November 2021 and April 2022. We obtained 391 sequences and identified 34 Pango lineages including the Alpha, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants. Evolutionary analyses showed these white-tailed deer viruses originated from at least 109 independent spillovers from humans, which resulted in 39 cases of subsequent local deer-to-deer transmission and three cases of potential spillover from white-tailed deer back to humans. Viruses repeatedly adapted to white-tailed deer with recurring amino acid substitutions across spike and other proteins. Overall, our findings suggest that multiple SARS-CoV-2 lineages were introduced, became enzootic, and co-circulated in white-tailed deer.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39782-x |
| spellingShingle | Aijing Feng Sarah Bevins Jeff Chandler Thomas J. DeLiberto Ria Ghai Kristina Lantz Julianna Lenoch Adam Retchless Susan Shriner Cynthia Y. Tang Suxiang Sue Tong Mia Torchetti Anna Uehara Xiu-Feng Wan Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States Nature Communications |
| title | Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States |
| title_full | Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States |
| title_short | Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States |
| title_sort | transmission of sars cov 2 in free ranging white tailed deer in the united states |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39782-x |
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