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From people to Panthera: Natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo

View ORCID ProfileDenise McAloose, Melissa Laverack, Leyi Wang, Mary Lea Killian, Leonardo C. Caserta, Fangfeng Yuan, Patrick K. Mitchell, Krista Queen, Matthew R. Mauldin, Brittany D. Cronk, Susan L. Bartlett, John M. Sykes, Stephanie Zec, Tracy Stokol, Karen Ingerman, Martha A. Delaney, Richard Frederikson, Marina Ivančić, Melinda Jenkins-Moore, Katie Mozingo, Kerrie Franzen, Nichole Hines Bergeson, Laura Goodman, Haibin Wang, Ying Fang, Colleen Olmstead, Colleen McCann, Patrick Thomas, Erin Goodrich, François Elvinger, David C. Smith, Suxiang Tong, Sally Slavinski, Paul P. Calle, Karen Terio, Mia Kim Torchetti, Diego G. Diel
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.22.213959
Denise McAloose
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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  • ORCID record for Denise McAloose
  • For correspondence: dmcaloose@wcs.org dgdiel@cornell.edu
Melissa Laverack
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Leyi Wang
3Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Mary Lea Killian
4National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, Iowa, USA
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Leonardo C. Caserta
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Fangfeng Yuan
5Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Patrick K. Mitchell
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Krista Queen
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Matthew R. Mauldin
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Brittany D. Cronk
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Susan L. Bartlett
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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John M. Sykes
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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Stephanie Zec
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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Tracy Stokol
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Karen Ingerman
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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Martha A. Delaney
7Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Brookfield, Illinois, USA
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Richard Frederikson
3Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Marina Ivančić
8Chicago Zoological Society, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Melinda Jenkins-Moore
4National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, Iowa, USA
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Katie Mozingo
4National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, Iowa, USA
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Kerrie Franzen
4National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, Iowa, USA
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Nichole Hines Bergeson
4National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, Iowa, USA
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Laura Goodman
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Haibin Wang
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Ying Fang
5Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Colleen Olmstead
3Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Colleen McCann
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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Patrick Thomas
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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Erin Goodrich
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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François Elvinger
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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David C. Smith
9New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Albany, New York, USA
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Suxiang Tong
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Sally Slavinski
10New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens, New York, USA
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Paul P. Calle
1Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York, USA
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Karen Terio
7Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Brookfield, Illinois, USA
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Mia Kim Torchetti
4National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, Iowa, USA
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Diego G. Diel
2Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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  • For correspondence: dmcaloose@wcs.org dgdiel@cornell.edu
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Abstract

We describe the first cases of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection detected in animals in the United States. In March 2020, four tigers and three lions at the Bronx Zoo developed mild respiratory signs. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by rRT-PCR in respiratory secretions and/or feces from all seven affected animals; viral RNA and/or antibodies were detected in their keepers. SARS-CoV-2 was isolated from respiratory secretions or feces from three affected animals; in situ hybridization co-localized viral RNA with cellular damage. Whole genome sequence and haplotype network analyses showed tigers and lions were infected with two different SARS-CoV-2 strains, suggesting independent viral introductions. The source of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the lions is unknown. Epidemiological data and genetic similarities between keeper and tiger viruses indicate human to animal transmission.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

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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 July 23, 2020.
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From people to Panthera: Natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo
Denise McAloose, Melissa Laverack, Leyi Wang, Mary Lea Killian, Leonardo C. Caserta, Fangfeng Yuan, Patrick K. Mitchell, Krista Queen, Matthew R. Mauldin, Brittany D. Cronk, Susan L. Bartlett, John M. Sykes, Stephanie Zec, Tracy Stokol, Karen Ingerman, Martha A. Delaney, Richard Frederikson, Marina Ivančić, Melinda Jenkins-Moore, Katie Mozingo, Kerrie Franzen, Nichole Hines Bergeson, Laura Goodman, Haibin Wang, Ying Fang, Colleen Olmstead, Colleen McCann, Patrick Thomas, Erin Goodrich, François Elvinger, David C. Smith, Suxiang Tong, Sally Slavinski, Paul P. Calle, Karen Terio, Mia Kim Torchetti, Diego G. Diel
bioRxiv 2020.07.22.213959; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.22.213959
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From people to Panthera: Natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo
Denise McAloose, Melissa Laverack, Leyi Wang, Mary Lea Killian, Leonardo C. Caserta, Fangfeng Yuan, Patrick K. Mitchell, Krista Queen, Matthew R. Mauldin, Brittany D. Cronk, Susan L. Bartlett, John M. Sykes, Stephanie Zec, Tracy Stokol, Karen Ingerman, Martha A. Delaney, Richard Frederikson, Marina Ivančić, Melinda Jenkins-Moore, Katie Mozingo, Kerrie Franzen, Nichole Hines Bergeson, Laura Goodman, Haibin Wang, Ying Fang, Colleen Olmstead, Colleen McCann, Patrick Thomas, Erin Goodrich, François Elvinger, David C. Smith, Suxiang Tong, Sally Slavinski, Paul P. Calle, Karen Terio, Mia Kim Torchetti, Diego G. Diel
bioRxiv 2020.07.22.213959; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.22.213959

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