First Description of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Two Feral American Mink (Neovison vison) Caught in the Wild

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of COVID-19, is considered a pathogen of animal origin that is mainly transmitted from human to human. Several animal species can be naturally or experimentally infected by SARS-CoV-2, with compelling evidence that mink is highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Human-to-mink infection cases have been reported and there are also suggestions that mink-to-human infection occurs. Mink infections have been reported to date only on fur farms, except for one infected free- ranging wild mink near a Utah (USA) fur farm, which suggests a transmission pathway from farms to wild mink. We now report the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in 2 of 13 feral dark brown American mink (Neovison vison) trapped in the Valencian Community (Eastern Spain), during an invasive species trapping campaign. They were trapped in riverbeds in sparsely inhabited rural areas known to harbor self-sustained feral mink populations. The closest fur farm is about 20 km away. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by two-step RT-PCR in these animals’ mesenteric lymph nodes and was confirmed by sequencing a 397-nucleotide amplified region of the S gene, yielding identical sequences in both animals. A molecular phylogenetic analysis was run on this sequence, which was found to correspond to the consensus SARS-CoV-2 sequence from Wuhan. Our findings appear to represent the first example of SARS-CoV-2 acquired in the wild by feral mink in self-sustained populations.

Serological Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Naturally-Infected Mink and Other Experimentally-Infected Animals

“…There is concern that the currently circulating virus may transmit to a new (wild) animal reservoir, evolve to evade treatments and vaccines and become a source of recurrent infections in humans, much like wild birds and influenza A viruses [ 3 , 4 ]. Indeed, detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the lymph nodes of two feral mink in eastern Spain has recently been reported [ 5 ]. Of additional concern is the potential for recombination events between SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in the animal host, as has been observed for other coronaviruses [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

Animal Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the Welfare of Animals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In the USA, one wild mink in Utah has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 [47]. Similarly, two wild mink in Spain have been documented with SARS-CoV-2 infection phylogenetically identical to the variant originating in Wuhan [48], thus demonstrating the virus' ability to jump to wild populations of species with high susceptibility to the virus. One worry is that feral animals may carry the virus into wild populations, or become a reservoir themselves for the virus; in one study, all 11 feral mink presumed to be escaped from the mink farm in Utah near where they were caught were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 [49].…”

“…Several reports have been made suggesting exposure of SARS-CoV-2 to wild and feral mink [47][48][49], and feral cats have demonstrated seropositive reactions to the virus in Spain [189]. The possibility of a viral reservoir becoming established in wild or feral species that may have contact with other susceptible nonhuman animal species or with humans is a serious concern [274].…”

Rapport 21-11. Covid-19 et monde animal, d’une origine encore mystérieuse vers un futur toujours incertain

“…En effet, le premier cas positif de Covid-19 chez un vison sauvage (probablement échappé d’un élevage) a été déclaré dans l’état de l’Utah (États-Unis) à la suite d’une surveillance mise en place autour d’élevages contaminés [12] . En Europe, les premiers cas d’infection chez des visons sauvages ont été déclarés en Espagne, sans lien avec des élevages de visons ou un contact avec l’Homme [42] . En France, le vison d’Amérique a été classé par l’arrêté ministériel du 2 septembre 2016 comme une espèce « nuisible » sur l’ensemble du territoire métropolitain car sa prolificité menace le vison d’Europe ( Mustela lutreola).…”