Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jun 2022)

Experimental Infection of Mink with SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant and Subsequent Clinical Disease

  • Jenni Virtanen,
  • Kirsi Aaltonen,
  • Kristel Kegler,
  • Vinaya Venkat,
  • Thanakorn Niamsap,
  • Lauri Kareinen,
  • Rasmus Malmgren,
  • Olga Kivelä,
  • Nina Atanasova,
  • Pamela Österlund,
  • Teemu Smura,
  • Antti Sukura,
  • Tomas Strandin,
  • Lara Dutra,
  • Olli Vapalahti,
  • Heli Nordgren,
  • Ravi Kant,
  • Tarja Sironen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2806.220328
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28, no. 6
pp. 1286 – 1288

Abstract

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We report an experimental infection of American mink with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and show that mink remain positive for viral RNA for days, experience clinical signs and histopathologic changes, and transmit the virus to uninfected recipients. Preparedness is crucial to avoid spread among mink and spillover to human populations.

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