Category: Reservoir
USA: SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant spillover from human to horse
“A report on a possible direct exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from a COVID-19-positive individual to an adult horse.”
The individual, diagnosed with COVID-19 (Delta B.1.617.2), had daily contact to her two horses prior to and during the development of clinical disease.… ...More...
Long Covid: Viral fragments found in the body months after initial infection
Two teams have recently published results suggesting that pieces of SARS-CoV-2 can linger in the gut for months after an initial infection.… ...More...
US: Chronic wasting disease in Michigan white tailed deer
A deadly neurological disease known for affecting different species of moose, elk, and other hoofed mammals has been confirmed in a white-tailed deer in Michigan.… ...More...
Preprint: residual SARS-CoV-2 found in human tissue after 426 days
“We believe this study is the first to detect viral RNA and/or antigen in the tissues of patients with Long Covid, up to 426 days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.”… ...More...
Spain: SARS-CoV-2 spillover infection into wild otters in Valencia
“We present evidence of spillover infection of wild mustelids by reporting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a Eurasian river otter found near a water reservoir in the Valencian Community, Spain.”… ...More...
US: Delta variant found in Utah mule deer
“On March 22, the APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa confirmed a case of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant in one of the samples submitted from a female mule deer in Morgan County.… ...More...
Nearly 6% of horses had detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2
Amongst the racing thoroughbreds, 35/587 (5.9%) horses had detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Similar to dogs and cats, horses do not seem to develop clinical SARS-CoV-2 infection.… ...More...
Preprint: SARS-CoV-2 infects the entire genital tract
“A robust signal was seen in the male genital tract (MGT) of all three animals studied. Infection of the MGT was validated by immunofluorescence imaging of infected cells in the testicular and penile tissue and severe pathology was observed in the testes of one animal at 2-weeks post-infection.”… ...More...
France: B.1.160 outbreak may have begun in mink
“based on genomic, geographical and temporal coincidences, that the source of the Marseille-4 (B.1.160) epidemic was the mink”.
The Marseille-4 variant (B.1.160) was the most prevalent SARS-CoV-2 variant in our geographical area in 2020 and was only outdone by the Alpha (UK, B.1.1.7) variant in 2021.… ...More...
Man tests positive for Covid 28 times in the six weeks AFTER his death
The body of a Ukrainian man who died from drowning in Italy tested positive for Covid-19 as many as 28 times in the six weeks after his death.… ...More...
Preprint: Omicron BA.1 infection in mink leads to symptomatic disease with lung pathology and transmission
Experimental infection of American mink with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.1 show that minks remain virus RNA positive for days, develop clinical signs and histopathological changes, and transmit the virus to uninfected recipient.… ...More...
USA: 5 gorillas test positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Dallas
Five gorillas at the Dallas Zoo have tested positive for COVID-19, the zoo said Tuesday.
The zoo’s lab results, which were received yesterday on samples taken Feb.… ...More...
Preprint: SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in human testes
“The virus remains infective after a long infection period in the testes (viral reservoir)”
This is the first study that shows:
1) the high SARS-CoV-2 tropism to the testis
2) one mode of SARS-CoV-2 entrance in testes
3) SARS-CoV-2 preferred infection and replication in spermatogonia and macrophages
4) that the virus remains infective after a long infection period in the testes (viral reservoir)
5) high levels of angiotensin II and activated mast cells and macrophages are critical players in promoting all testicular alterations
6) the more extended severe condition, the lower the number of surviving germ cells
7) fluctuation in several essential testicular genes
8) that the intratesticular testosterone levels are 30 times reduced in testes of COVID-19 patients
9) the prevalent types of collagen present in SARS-CoV-2 mediated testicular fibrosis
10) the fluctuation of vasoconstrictive peptides in testes of COVID-19 critically ill patients
Medrxiv Preprint: SARS-CoV-2 infects, replicates, elevates angiotensin II and activates immune cells in human testes
USA: Omicron in white-tailed deer on Staten Island, New York *1 UPDATE*
White-tailed deer on Staten Island have become the first wild animals with documented Omicron infections.
The researchers also found that one deer with Omicron already had a high level of antibodies to the virus, suggesting that it may have been previously infected.… ...More...