Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:29:14
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 156.10 2.13%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,446.65 0.41%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 427.85 -0.04%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.15 2.25%
Business News/ News / World/  Omicron detected in deers; US scientists term it 'another potential threat'
BackBack

Omicron detected in deers; US scientists term it 'another potential threat'

Last year, the team found that up to 80% of white-tailed deer sampled across Iowa in the US tested positive for SARS-CoV-2

A study conducted in the United States has found white-tailed deer to be infected with the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus or the SARS-CoV-2Premium
A study conducted in the United States has found white-tailed deer to be infected with the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus or the SARS-CoV-2

WASHINGTON : A study conducted in the United States has found white-tailed deer to be infected with the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus or the SARS-CoV-2. The study also found neutralising antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in those deer, thereby suggesting that these animals can be reinfected with the virus.

The study is yet to be peer-reviewed and had been posted in the preprint repository bioRxiv. 

"Our finding that some of these animals harbour SARS-CoV-2 suggests the presence of another potential threat," said Kurt Vandegrift, associate research professor at Penn State, and lead author of the paper.

Last year, the team found that up to 80% of white-tailed deer sampled across Iowa in the US tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The finding was the first direct evidence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in any free-living species.

This research highlights the fact that urgent steps needs to be taken to check the spread of the novel coronavirus in deer and thereafter prevent a potential spillback to humans.

"While there is no indication so far of any of the SARS-CoV-2 variants spilling back into humans from deer, such an outcome is possible," said Suresh Kuchipudi, a clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, Penn State.

"The longer the virus circulates in these animals and the greater the number of individuals it infects, the more likely the virus is to evolve and potentially lead to the emergence of a completely novel variant that may be resistant to our current vaccines," Kuchipudi said.

The study may reveal whether spillover of the virus back to humans from deer is possible, the researchers said.

The researchers analysed blood samples from 131 individual deer collected between 12 December 2021, and 31 January 2022, and found that 19 were positive for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies.

They also detected SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in nasal swabs from seven of 68 of the sampled deer, indicating that these deer were actively infected with the virus.

"Our previous research in Iowa examined the lymph nodes of deer that had already been killed during hunting, but we were not able to confirm an active infection from these samples," said Vivek Kapur, from Penn State, and co-lead author of the study.

"In our new study, we were able to obtain nasal swabs, which revealed live virus in the animals’ noses," he added.

Whole-genome sequencing identified that the virus circulating among the white-tailed deer on Staten Island in New York was Omicron.

Phylogenetic analyses, which examine the evolutionary history among groups of organisms, revealed that the Omicron sequences in the deer were related to those recovered from infected humans in New York City and elsewhere, suggesting the virus spilled over from humans to deer.

"Importantly, one individual deer was both positive for viral RNA and had a high level of neutralising antibodies, suggesting that neutralising antibodies developed rapidly during an ongoing infection or that a breakthrough infection occurred," said Kuchipudi.

"If this animal had a reinfection, then this suggests that white-tailed deer can serve as a reservoir for the virus to continue to mutate, potentially producing new variants that are more dangerous," he added. 

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 07 Mar 2022, 02:57 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App