Wild Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Do Not Play a Role as Vectors or Reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 in North-Eastern Poland

Viruses. 2022 Oct 18;14(10):2290. doi: 10.3390/v14102290.

Abstract

Several studies reported a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among white-tailed deer in North America. Monitoring cervids in all regions to better understand SARS-CoV-2 infection and circulation in other deer populations has been urged. To evaluate deer exposure and/or infection to/by SARS-CoV-2 in Poland, we sampled 90 red deer shot by hunters in five hunting districts in north-eastern Poland. Serum and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected, and then an immunofluorescent assay (IFA) to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was performed as well as real-time PCR with reverse transcription for direct virus detection. No positive samples were detected. There is no evidence of spillover of SARS-CoV-2 from the human to deer population in Poland.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; cervid; deer; spillover; susceptibility; transmission.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Deer*
  • Humans
  • Poland / epidemiology
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics

Grants and funding

This research was co-funded through the 2018–2019 BiodivERsA joint call for research proposals under the BiodivERsA3 ERA-Net COFUND programme; the funding organisations ANR (France), DFG (Germany), EPA (Ireland), FWO (Belgium), and NCN (Poland). M.G., J.N. and A.G. were supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, under the BiodivERsA3 programme (2019/31/Z/NZ8/04028). M.K. was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, under the Preludium BIS programme 2020/39/O/NZ6/01777.