1. Lack of SARS-CoV-2 RNA evidence in the lungs from wild European polecats (Mustela putorius) from Spain
- Author
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Guillermo Carmona, Tamara Burgos, Rafael Barrientos, Sara Martin-Garcia, Clara Muñoz, Marta Sánchez-Sánchez, Javier Hernández-Hernández, Carlos Palacín, Pablo Quiles, Alberto Moraga-Fernández, Victor Bandeira, Emilio Virgós, Christian Gortázar, and Isabel G. Fernandez de Mera
- Subjects
SARS-CoV-2 ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,European polecat ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Coronavirus disease ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Data on SARS-CoV-2 infection in wildlife species is limited. The high prevalences found in mustelid species such as free-ranging American minks (Neovison vison) and domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) justify the study of this virus in the closely related autochthonous free-ranging European polecat (Mustela putorius). We analysed lung samples from 48 roadkilled polecats collected when the human infection reached its highest levels in Spain (2020–2021). We did not detect infections by SARS-CoV-2; however, surveillance in wild carnivores and particularly in mustelids is still warranted, due to their susceptibility to this virus.
- Published
- 2023