Viruses . Susceptibility of Domestic Goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) to Experimental Infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.351/Beta Variant

[tetano]

Viruses


. 2022 Sep 9;14(9):2002.
doi: 10.3390/v14092002.
Susceptibility of Domestic Goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) to Experimental Infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.351/Beta Variant


Leira Fernández-Bastit ^{1 2} , Núria Roca ^{1 2} , Miguel Romero-Durana ³ , Jordi Rodon ^{1 2} , Guillermo Cantero ^{1 2} , Óscar García ^{1 2} , Carlos López ^{1 2} , Mònica Pérez ^{1 2} , Rosa López ^{1 2} , Jorge Carrillo ^{4 5 6} , Nuria Izquierdo-Useros ^{4 5 6} , Julià Blanco ^{4 5 6 7} , Bonaventura Clotet ^{4 7 8} , Joan Pujols ^{1 2} , Júlia Vergara-Alert ^{1 2} , Joaquim Segalés ^{1 9} , Cristina Lorca-Oró ^{1 2}



Affiliations

• PMID: 36146808
• DOI: 10.3390/v14092002

Abstract

A wide range of animal species are susceptible to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Natural and/or experimental infections have been reported in pet, zoo, farmed and wild animals. Interestingly, some SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as B.1.1.7/Alpha, B.1.351/Beta, and B.1.1.529/Omicron, were demonstrated to infect some animal species not susceptible to classical viral variants. The present study aimed to elucidate if goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) are susceptible to the B.1.351/Beta variant. First, an in silico approach was used to predict the affinity between the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351/Beta variant and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 from goats. Moreover, we performed an experimental inoculation with this variant in domestic goat and showed evidence of infection. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in nasal swabs and tissues by RT-qPCR and/or immunohistochemistry, and seroneutralisation was confirmed via ELISA and live virus neutralisation assays. However, the viral amount and tissue distribution suggest a low susceptibility of goats to the B.1.351/Beta variant. Therefore, although monitoring livestock is advisable, it is unlikely that goats play a role as SARS-CoV-2 reservoir species, and they are not useful surrogates to study SARS-CoV-2 infection in farmed animals.

Keywords: Beta variant; experimental infection; goat; ruminant; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); susceptibility.