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SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contact and via the air between ferrets

Mathilde Richard, Adinda Kok, Dennis de Meulder, Theo M. Bestebroer, Mart M. Lamers, Nisreen M.A. Okba, Martje Fentener van Vlissingen, Barry Rockx, Bart L. Haagmans, Marion P.G. Koopmans, Ron A.M. Fouchier, View ORCID ProfileSander Herfst
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.16.044503
Mathilde Richard
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Adinda Kok
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Dennis de Meulder
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Theo M. Bestebroer
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Mart M. Lamers
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Nisreen M.A. Okba
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Martje Fentener van Vlissingen
2Erasmus Laboratory Animal Science Center, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Barry Rockx
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Bart L. Haagmans
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Marion P.G. Koopmans
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Ron A.M. Fouchier
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Sander Herfst
1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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  • ORCID record for Sander Herfst
  • For correspondence: s.herfst@erasmusmc.nl
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Abstract

SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus that newly emerged in China in late 2019 1,2 and spread rapidly worldwide, caused the first witnessed pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. As the pandemic progresses, information about the modes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among humans is critical to apply appropriate infection control measures and to slow its spread. Here we show that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted efficiently via direct contact and via the air (via respiratory droplets and/or aerosols) between ferrets. Intranasal inoculation of donor ferrets resulted in a productive upper respiratory tract infection and long-term shedding, up to 11 to 19 days post-inoculation. SARS-CoV-2 transmitted to four out of four direct contact ferrets between 1 and 3 days after exposure and via the air to three out of four independent indirect recipient ferrets between 3 and 7 days after exposure. The pattern of virus shedding in the direct contact and indirect recipient ferrets was similar to that of the inoculated ferrets and infectious virus was isolated from all positive animals, showing that ferrets were productively infected via either route. This study provides experimental evidence of robust transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via the air, supporting the implementation of community-level social distancing measures currently applied in many countries in the world and informing decisions on infection control measures in healthcare settings 3.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted April 17, 2020.
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SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contact and via the air between ferrets
Mathilde Richard, Adinda Kok, Dennis de Meulder, Theo M. Bestebroer, Mart M. Lamers, Nisreen M.A. Okba, Martje Fentener van Vlissingen, Barry Rockx, Bart L. Haagmans, Marion P.G. Koopmans, Ron A.M. Fouchier, Sander Herfst
bioRxiv 2020.04.16.044503; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.16.044503
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SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contact and via the air between ferrets
Mathilde Richard, Adinda Kok, Dennis de Meulder, Theo M. Bestebroer, Mart M. Lamers, Nisreen M.A. Okba, Martje Fentener van Vlissingen, Barry Rockx, Bart L. Haagmans, Marion P.G. Koopmans, Ron A.M. Fouchier, Sander Herfst
bioRxiv 2020.04.16.044503; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.16.044503

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