Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in British wildlife 2020-21 and first description of a stoat (Mustela erminea) Minacovirus

Apaa, Ternenge; Withers, Amy J.; McKenzie, Laura; Staley, Ceri; Blanchard, Adam; Bennett, Malcolm; Bremner-Harrison, Samantha; Chadwick, Elizabeth A.; Hailer, Frank; Harrison, Stephen W.R.; Lambin, Xavier; Loose, Mathew; Mathews, Fiona; Tarlinton, Rachael

Abstract

Repeat spillover of SARS-CoV-2 into new hosts has highlighted the critical role of cross species transmission of coronaviruses and establishment of new reservoirs of virus in pandemic and epizootic spread of coronaviruses. Species particularly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 spill-over include Mustelidae (mink, ferrets and related animals), cricetid rodents (hamsters and related animals), felids domestic cats and related animals) and white tailed deer. These predispositions led us to screen British wildlife with sarbecovirus specific qPCR and pan coronavirus PCR assays for SARS-CoV-2 using samples collected during the human pandemic to establish if widespread spill-over was occurring. Fourteen wildlife species (n=402) were tested, including : 2 Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 101 Badgers (Meles meles), 2 wild American Mink (Neogale vison), 41 Pine Marten (Martes martes), 2 Weasels (Mustela nivalis), 7 Stoats (Mustela erminea), 108 Water Voles (Arvicola amphibius), 39 Bank voles (Myodes glareolous), 10 Field Voles (Microtus agrestis), 15 Wood Mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), 1 Common Shrew (Sorex aranaeus), 2 Pygmy Shrews (Sorex minutus), 2 Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and 75 Eurasian Otters (Lutra lutra). No cases of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in any animals, however a novel minacovirus related to mink and ferret alphacoronaviruses was detected in stoats recently introduced to the Orkney Islands. This group of viruses is of interest due to pathogenicity in ferrets. The impact of this virus on the health of stoat populations remains to be established.

Citation

Apaa, T., Withers, A. J., McKenzie, L., Staley, C., Blanchard, A., Bennett, M., Bremner-Harrison, S., Chadwick, E. A., Hailer, F., Harrison, S. W., Lambin, X., Loose, M., Mathews, F., & Tarlinton, R. (2023). Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in British wildlife 2020-21 and first description of a stoat (Mustela erminea) Minacovirus

• Working Paper Type: Preprint
• Online Publication Date: Sep 25, 2023
• Publication Date: Sep 25, 2023
• Deposit Date: Feb 28, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 3, 2025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.28.538769
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/20287282
• Publisher URL: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.28.538769v3