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SARS-CoV-2 exposure in Norwegian rats (Rattus norvegicus) from New York City
Yang Wang; Julianna Lenoch; Dennis Kohler; Thomas DeLiberto; Cynthia Tang; Tao Li; Yizhi Tao; Minhui Guan; Susan Compton; Caroline Jutta Zeiss; Jun Hang; Xiu-Feng Wan.
Affiliation
  • Yang Wang; University of Missouri-Columbia
  • Julianna Lenoch; USDA APHIS Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program
  • Dennis Kohler; USDA APHIS Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program
  • Thomas DeLiberto; USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
  • Cynthia Tang; University of Missouri
  • Tao Li; Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
  • Yizhi Tao; Rice University
  • Minhui Guan; University of Missouri-Columbia
  • Susan Compton; School of Medicine, Yale University
  • Caroline Jutta Zeiss; Yale University
  • Jun Hang; Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
  • Xiu-Feng Wan; University of Missouri-Columbia
Preprint in English | bioRxiv | ID: ppbiorxiv-517156
ABSTRACT
Millions of Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)inhabit New York City (NYC), presenting the potential for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to rats and other wildlife. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 exposure among 79 rats captured from NYC during the fall of 2021. Results showed that 13 of 79 rats (16.5%) tested IgG or IgM positive, and partial genomes of SARS-CoV-2 were recovered from four rats that were qRT-PCR positive. Using a virus challenge study, we also showed that Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants can cause robust infections in wild-type Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, including high level replications in the upper and lower respiratory tracts and induction of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Additionally, the Delta variant resulted in the highest infectivity. In summary, our results indicated that rats are susceptible to infection with Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants, and rats in the NYC municipal sewer systems have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Our findings highlight the potential risk of secondary zoonotic transmission from urban rats and the need for further monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in those populations. ImportanceSince its emergence causing the COVID-19 pandemic, the host tropism expansion of SARS-CoV-2 raises a potential risk for reverse-zoonotic transmission of emerging variants into rodent species, including wild rat species. In this study, we presented both genetic and serological evidence for SARS-CoV-2 exposure in wild rat population from New York City, and these viruses are potentially linked to the viruses during the early stages of the pandemic. We also demonstrated that rats are susceptible to additional variants (i.e., Alpha, Delta, and Omicron) predominant in humans and that the susceptibility to different variants vary. Our findings highlight the potential risk of secondary zoonotic transmission from urban rats and the need for further monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in those populations.
License
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Full text: Available Collection: Preprints Database: bioRxiv Type of study: Experimental_studies / Prognostic study Language: English Year: 2022 Document type: Preprint
Full text: Available Collection: Preprints Database: bioRxiv Type of study: Experimental_studies / Prognostic study Language: English Year: 2022 Document type: Preprint
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