Investigators tested animals from 23 common Virginia species for active infections and antibodies indicating previous infections.
A new study has revealed a surprising dimension of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the virus responsible for the global crisis, SARS-CoV-2, now detected 'in a large suite of common backyard animals.'Researchers examined 23 common backyard species in Virginia and found that six of them harbored the virus.Genetic analysis confirmed not only the presence of SARS-CoV-2, but also the existence of unique viral mutations that closely matched human variants circulating during the study period.
The data suggests exposure to the virus has been widespread in wildlife and that areas with high human activity may serve as points of contact for cross-species transmission.'This study was really motivated by seeing a large, important gap in our knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a broader wildlife community,' Joseph Hoyt, study author and assistant professor of biological sciences, said in a statement.
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