Scientific Reports (Sep 2023)
Surveillance of Vermont wildlife in 2021–2022 reveals no detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA
- Hannah W. Despres,
- Margaret G. Mills,
- Madaline M. Schmidt,
- Jolene Gov,
- Yael Perez,
- Mars Jindrich,
- Allison M. L. Crawford,
- Warren T. Kohl,
- Elias Rosenblatt,
- Hannah C. Kubinski,
- Benjamin C. Simmons,
- Miles C. Nippes,
- Anne J. Goldenberg,
- Kristina E. Murtha,
- Samantha Nicoloro,
- Mia J. Harris,
- Avery C. Feeley,
- Taylor K. Gelinas,
- Maeve K. Cronin,
- Robert S. Frederick,
- Matthew Thomas,
- Meaghan E. Johnson,
- James Murphy,
- Elle B. Lenzini,
- Peter A. Carr,
- Danielle H. Berger,
- Soham P. Mehta,
- Christopher J. Floreani,
- Amelia C. Koval,
- Aleah L. Young,
- Jess H. Fish,
- Jack Wallace,
- Ella Chaney,
- Grace Ushay,
- Rebecca S. Ross,
- Erin M. Vostal,
- Maya C. Thisner,
- Kyliegh E. Gonet,
- Owen C. Deane,
- Kari R. Pelletiere,
- Vegas C. Rockafeller,
- Madeline Waterman,
- Tyler W. Barry,
- Catriona C. Goering,
- Sarah D. Shipman,
- Allie C. Shiers,
- Claire E. Reilly,
- Alanna M. Duff,
- Sarah L. Madruga,
- David J. Shirley,
- Keith R. Jerome,
- Ailyn C. Pérez-Osorio,
- Alexander L. Greninger,
- Nick Fortin,
- Brittany A. Mosher,
- Emily A. Bruce
Affiliations
- Hannah W. Despres
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont
- Margaret G. Mills
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Madaline M. Schmidt
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont
- Jolene Gov
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Yael Perez
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Mars Jindrich
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Allison M. L. Crawford
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Warren T. Kohl
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Elias Rosenblatt
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont
- Hannah C. Kubinski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont
- Benjamin C. Simmons
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Miles C. Nippes
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Anne J. Goldenberg
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Kristina E. Murtha
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Samantha Nicoloro
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Mia J. Harris
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Avery C. Feeley
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Taylor K. Gelinas
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Maeve K. Cronin
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Robert S. Frederick
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Matthew Thomas
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Meaghan E. Johnson
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- James Murphy
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Elle B. Lenzini
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Peter A. Carr
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Danielle H. Berger
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Soham P. Mehta
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Christopher J. Floreani
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Amelia C. Koval
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Aleah L. Young
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Jess H. Fish
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Jack Wallace
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Ella Chaney
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Grace Ushay
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Rebecca S. Ross
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Erin M. Vostal
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Maya C. Thisner
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Kyliegh E. Gonet
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Owen C. Deane
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Kari R. Pelletiere
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Vegas C. Rockafeller
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Madeline Waterman
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Tyler W. Barry
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Catriona C. Goering
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Sarah D. Shipman
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Allie C. Shiers
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Claire E. Reilly
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Alanna M. Duff
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- Sarah L. Madruga
- Wildlife and Fisheries Society, Wildlife Society Chapter, University of Vermont
- David J. Shirley
- Department of Engineering, Faraday, Inc.
- Keith R. Jerome
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Ailyn C. Pérez-Osorio
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Alexander L. Greninger
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington
- Nick Fortin
- Fish and Wildlife Department, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
- Brittany A. Mosher
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont
- Emily A. Bruce
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39232-0
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 13,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 8
Abstract
Abstract Previous studies have documented natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 in various domestic and wild animals. More recently, studies have been published noting the susceptibility of members of the Cervidae family, and infections in both wild and captive cervid populations. In this study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian wildlife within the state of Vermont. 739 nasal or throat samples were collected from wildlife throughout the state during the 2021 and 2022 harvest season. Data was collected from red and gray foxes (Vulpes vulples and Urocyon cineroargentus, respectively), fishers (Martes pennati), river otters (Lutra canadensis), coyotes (Canis lantrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus rufus), black bears (Ursus americanus), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Samples were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 via quantitative RT-qPCR using the CDC N1/N2 primer set and/or the WHO-E gene primer set. Surprisingly, we initially detected a number of N1 and/or N2 positive samples with high cycle threshold values, though after conducting environmental swabbing of the laboratory and verifying with a second independent primer set (WHO-E) and PCR without reverse transcriptase, we showed that these were false positives due to plasmid contamination from a construct expressing the N gene in the general laboratory environment. Our final results indicate that no sampled wildlife were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and highlight the importance of physically separate locations for the processing of samples for surveillance and experiments that require the use of plasmid DNA containing the target RNA sequence. These negative findings are surprising, given that most published North America studies have found SARS-CoV-2 within their deer populations. The absence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in populations sampled here may provide insights in to the various environmental and anthropogenic factors that reduce spillover and spread in North American’s wildlife populations.
