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An outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 with high mortality in mink (Neovison vison) on multiple Utah farms (preprint)
biorxiv; 2021.
Preprint in English | bioRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2021.06.09.447754
ABSTRACT
The breadth of animal hosts that are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and may serve as reservoirs for continued viral transmission are not known entirely. In August 2020, an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 occurred in multiple mink farms in Utah and was associated with high mink mortality and rapid viral transmission between animals. The outbreak's epidemiology, pathology, molecular characterization, and tissue distribution of virus within infected mink is provided. Infection of mink was likely by reverse zoonosis. Once established, infection spread rapidly between independently housed animals and farms, and caused severe respiratory disease and death. Clinical signs were most notably sudden death, anorexia, and increased respiratory effort. Gross pathology examination revealed severe pulmonary congestion and edema. Microscopically there was pulmonary edema with moderate vasculitis, perivasculitis, and fibrinous interstitial pneumonia. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of tissues collected at necropsy demonstrated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in multiple organs including nasal turbinates, lung, tracheobronchial lymph node, epithelial surfaces, and others. Whole genome sequencing from multiple mink was consistent with published SARS-CoV-2 genomes with few polymorphisms. The Utah mink SARS-CoV-2 strain fell into Clade GH, which is unique among mink and other animal strains sequenced to date and did not share other spike RBD mutations Y453F and F486L found in mink. Localization of viral RNA by in situ hybridization revealed a more localized infection, particularly of the upper respiratory tract. Mink in the outbreak reported herein had high levels of virus in the upper respiratory tract associated with mink-to-mink transmission in a confined housing environment and were particularly susceptible to disease and death due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Full text: Available Collection: Preprints Database: bioRxiv Main subject: Pulmonary Edema / Respiratory Tract Diseases / Pulmonary Atelectasis / Vasculitis / Anorexia / Epilepsies, Partial / Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Coronavirus Infections / Death / Death, Sudden Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Preprint

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Full text: Available Collection: Preprints Database: bioRxiv Main subject: Pulmonary Edema / Respiratory Tract Diseases / Pulmonary Atelectasis / Vasculitis / Anorexia / Epilepsies, Partial / Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Coronavirus Infections / Death / Death, Sudden Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Preprint