A report issued by the UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) found the likelihood that a variant of concern (VOC) that has arisen in humans could infect a rodent and then spread among the animals is high. Researchers say lab evidence indicates that while rats and mice appear unable to contract the most common forms of coronavirus COVID-19, the N501Y spike protein mutation “has an increased affinity” for rodents.
The report said: “There is a plausible pathway for infection of rodents with new variants of concern from infected humans following contamination of an environment. “Experimental evidence has shown SARS-CoV-2 with N501Y has increased affinity for lab rodents and there is nothing to suggest the same would not be true for wild rodents.
SAGE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) response, 8 April 2021
