London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Risk Of New Variants Arising When Animals Catch Coronavirus From Humans

Risk Of New Variants Arising When Animals Catch Coronavirus From Humans

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in a variety of wild, zoo, and household animals demonstrate cross-species transmission, which is a rare occurrence for most viruses.
The findings of a new study suggest that when animals catch COVID-19 from humans, new SARS-CoV-2 variants can arise.

To evaluate this phenomenon, an interdisciplinary team at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences systematically analysed mutation types occurring in the virus after infection of cats, dogs, ferrets, and hamsters. The study was recently published in 'PNAS', the official journal of the National Academy of Sciences.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in a variety of wild, zoo, and household animals demonstrate cross-species transmission, which is a rare occurrence for most viruses.

"SARS-CoV-2, in the realm of coronaviruses, has a very broad species range," said Laura Bashor, one of the first authors and a doctoral student in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology. "Generally speaking, many types of viruses can't infect other species of animals, they evolved to be very specific."

"Humans have so much exposure to many different animals which permitted this virus to have the opportunity to expose a variety of different species," said Erick Gagne, a first author and now an assistant professor of wildlife disease ecology at the University of Pennsylvania.

The global reach and spillover of the virus have given researchers a unique opportunity to investigate the viral evolution of SARS-CoV-2, including in University Distinguished Professor Sue VandeWoude's laboratory at Colorado State University.

These specialists in disease transmission in wild and domestic cats applied their experience in sequence analysis and studying a collection of genomes to SARS-CoV-2. Researchers in the VandeWoude lab worked with Assistant Professor Angela Bosco-Lauth and Professor Dick Bowen in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, who used their animal modelling expertise to develop a test for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility of animal species.

Also, the key to the findings was a newer sequencing technique of the virus at different stages of the study, now common to detect variants in the human population. Mark Stenglein, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, provided computational skills in analyzing biological molecule sequences, known as bioinformatics, to the study.

"We found there was evolution, we saw the selection on the virus, and we saw a lot of variants emerge in the genome sequence of the virus," said Bashor.

To provide ample viral material for the study, Bosco-Lauth and Bowen cultivated a SARS-CoV-2 human sample in cells grown in the lab. Bashor and Gagne determined that multiple mutations developed, and became a greater percentage of the genetic population, at each step of this process.

Then the virus was introduced to the four household species, and samples of the virus were collected from their nasal passages after infection.

"In the animals, the cell culture variants reverted back to the initial human type, which indicates that likely there is adaption occurring in that cell culture and environment that was selected for those variants," said Gagne.

Not all these mutations within the cell culture SARS-CoV-2 variant transferred in the new hosts. Instead, different mutations emerged within the virus shed by the live animals.

The initial viral sample in the study was isolated in early 2020. The team observed mutations that have since formed widespread SARS-CoV-2 strains in the human population at an accelerated rate throughout the study.

"Among those were a number that we've since seen in humans in the alpha, beta, delta variants," said Dr Sue VandeWoude, senior author. "There were specific genetic code changes that mimicked what other scientists have reported in people."

Contact exposure between two cats demonstrated the SARS-CoV-2 variant can be transmitted with the possibility of producing a new strain within the species.

"That's what we're seeing in people too," said Bosco-Lauth. "Hosts that are really well adapted to support SARS-CoV-2 infection are also very good at allowing these mutations to stick and to be passed on."

Bashor did not anticipate studying SARS-CoV-2 when she came to CSU to begin her doctoral studies during the pandemic. However, it provided a unique opportunity to hit the ground running as a graduate student on a "really cool and viable project" in disease ecology and evolution.

Gagne was completing his postdoctoral research on the cross-species transmission of feline retroviruses in the VandeWoude lab when the team launched the SARS-CoV-2 study. Now an assistant professor, he has continued to investigate SARS-CoV-2 spillover with the Wildlife Futures Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Graduate students and early-career scientists like Bashor and Gagne, have made meaningful contributions to SARS-CoV-2 research, said Vande Woude.

The team has continued their investigations to focus on cats, as they have shown higher susceptibility for COVID-19 spillover from humans and can produce variants of the virus and spread to other cats.

Bashor began analyzing SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from a large pool of cat species all over the world, including tigers, lions and snow leopards. The publicly available data of infected cats could provide additional insights on the adaptability and mutability of COVID-19 within and among cat species.

There is no evidence of transmission from cats to humans. But cats continue to be susceptible to all variants of COVID-19 in the human population.

By understanding viral evolution within cats, the research team may find answers to the question: what is the future of SARS-CoV-2 for humans and animals.
Comments

Oh ya 3 year ago
Fear porn. Go get your de population shot and make the devil Gates happy. More parking at the mall for me

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×