Assessing the risks of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Wildlife Ecology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused significant global health and economic disruption.
• Human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been observed in domestic, farmed, and zoo animals.
• Limited evidence exists for SARS-CoV-2 transmission into free-living wildlife populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the potential for SARS-CoV-2 exposure, transmission, and persistence in selected wild mammal species.
• To propose a framework for dynamic risk assessment and targeted surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife.
• To integrate wildlife surveillance with public and veterinary health data.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of emerging information on SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife.
• Identification of key wild mammal groups with potential for SARS-CoV-2 infection (bats, canids, felids, mustelids, great apes, rodents, cervids).
• Development of a framework for collating data to inform surveillance strategies.

Main Results:

• Wild mammals, including bats, canids, felids, mustelids, great apes, rodents, and cervids, are potential hosts for SARS-CoV-2.
• Establishment of wildlife reservoirs poses risks to both human infection control and wildlife conservation.
• A framework for dynamic risk assessment and targeted surveillance is proposed.

Conclusions:

• Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife through integrated surveillance is essential.
• Understanding the role of wild mammals in SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology is critical for managing future outbreaks.
• Preventing wildlife reservoirs is key to mitigating long-term risks to public health and biodiversity.