Rewritten Article Emphasizing Wildlife SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Surveillance in North American and European Contexts

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A team of Spanish researchers has identified the first case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in an Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra) near a Valencia region reservoir. They link the infection to probable contact with contaminated sewage and emphasize the need for a monitoring program to track this coronavirus in wild mustelids, given their potential to serve as viral reservoirs.

The finding marks the first global detection of this wild-type virus in a wild mustelid and has been published in the international journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Detection occurred through two distinct PCR tests on RNA extracted from the otter’s nasopharynx, lung tissue, and mediastinal lymph nodes via swab samples. In contrast, samples from two otters in remote areas tested negative in the same assays.

The study, led by researchers from CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia, the Valencian Institute of Biomedicine, and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, confirms that human-derived contamination is a plausible source and that human origin of the virus detected in this otter was present, though the exact combinations differ across samples. The researchers underscore that the first source of this emerging infectious disease is likely animal-driven and stress the importance of clarifying transmission pathways between humans and wildlife.

Historically, other coronaviruses have caused outbreaks in animals, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses in 2005, 2012, and 2019. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic increases the chance of human-induced infection in susceptible animal species, making these animals potential secondary hosts and reservoirs when in contact with infected people or contaminated environments.

Contact with contaminated water

Consuelo Rubio, lead investigator of the Molecular Virology Group at CEU UCH and co-author of the study, noted that viral sequence changes observed in human samples also appeared in the wild otter, suggesting a shared origin while acknowledging that the exact sequence combinations differ. It is proposed that exposure occurred through contact with wastewater containing the virus in the otter’s river habitat.

River ecosystems are sometimes contaminated by sewage discharges that can expose wildlife to infectious agents. The same research team was previously involved in May of the previous year in identifying two positive SARS-CoV-2 cases in wild American mink along rivers in Castellón, marking among the first European wild animal infections not linked to direct human contact. In that work, transmission was hypothesized to occur through environmental exposure to contaminated water in river areas.

In the Animals journal, the researchers discussed the potential transmission route through aquatic wildlife encountering wastewater in riverine zones. Rubio stated that different animal species have experienced outbreaks from various coronaviruses, but the findings in mink and otter samples indicate that surveillance of wild mustelids could help assess the risk of these animals becoming reservoirs or sites for new viral mutations that could reinfect humans or other wildlife in contact with infected mustelids.

Rubio emphasized that this line of inquiry supports ongoing monitoring as a means to gauge the role of wild mustelids in SARS-CoV-2 ecology, offering insight into whether such animals might contribute to future spillovers or viral evolution while guiding public health responses.

Mink infections to humans

In earlier work, this research team documented confirmed human infections from mink and suggested possible mink-to-human transmission. American mink are native to North America but have spread to farms in Europe and North America. Some findings indicate that infected wild mink could acquire the virus near fur farms and then spread it into free-ranging populations. In certain cases, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in mesenteric lymph nodes via two-step PCR assays, aligning with earlier reports of the virus in animal tissues. Experimental infections across species have shown varying levels of susceptibility; felines and mustelids tend to be more vulnerable, while poultry appear less susceptible and cattle and pigs show low susceptibility.

Additional attention has been paid to how SARS-CoV-2 spreads among animals kept in close contact with humans. Reports include domestic pets such as cats, big cats in zoos, and domestic ferrets. Stray cats have also been noted in transmission scenarios observed in some outbreaks. While farmed mink outbreaks drew particular concern, the broader pattern shows that human activity and contact with infected individuals can drive wildlife infections as well as potentially establish new reservoirs in nature.

Earlier outbreaks, including those in the Netherlands and other European countries, highlighted the risk of farmed mink linking to wild populations. Some governments responded by culling infected farmed mink to contain spread. The situation has spurred ongoing discussions about wildlife management and the risks posed by invasive species and conservation priorities when considering the balance between animal welfare and public health goals in controlling a global pandemic.

Cited reference to the study: Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2022. This work is part of a broader, ongoing effort to map how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with wildlife and environment, aiming to prevent spillovers and safeguard both human communities and animal populations.

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