Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/1/120/htm
SARS-CoV-2 Reverse Zoonoses to Pumas and Lions, South Africa
by Katja Natalie Koeppel; Adriano Mendes; Amy Strydom ; Lia Rotherham; Misheck Mulumba; and Marietjie Venter ]
Viruses 2022, 14(1), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14010120
Received: 13 December 2021 / Revised: 31 December 2021 / Accepted: 2 January 2022 / Published: 11 January 2022
Abstract
Reverse-zoonotic infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from humans to wildlife species internationally raise concern over the emergence of new variants in animals. A better understanding of the transmission dynamics and pathogenesis in susceptible species will mitigate the risk to humans and wildlife occurring in Africa. Here we report infection of an exotic puma (July 2020) and three African lions (July 2021) in the same private zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa. One Health genomic surveillance identified transmission of a Delta variant from a zookeeper to the three lions, similar to those circulating in humans in South Africa. One lion developed pneumonia while the other cases had mild infection. Both the puma and lions remained positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA for up to 7 weeks...
SARS-CoV-2 Reverse Zoonoses to Pumas and Lions, South Africa
by Katja Natalie Koeppel; Adriano Mendes; Amy Strydom ; Lia Rotherham; Misheck Mulumba; and Marietjie Venter ]
Viruses 2022, 14(1), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14010120
Received: 13 December 2021 / Revised: 31 December 2021 / Accepted: 2 January 2022 / Published: 11 January 2022
Abstract
Reverse-zoonotic infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from humans to wildlife species internationally raise concern over the emergence of new variants in animals. A better understanding of the transmission dynamics and pathogenesis in susceptible species will mitigate the risk to humans and wildlife occurring in Africa. Here we report infection of an exotic puma (July 2020) and three African lions (July 2021) in the same private zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa. One Health genomic surveillance identified transmission of a Delta variant from a zookeeper to the three lions, similar to those circulating in humans in South Africa. One lion developed pneumonia while the other cases had mild infection. Both the puma and lions remained positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA for up to 7 weeks...
