Experimental Infection of Mink with SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant and Subsequent Clinical Disease |
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| Authors: | Jenni Virtanen,Kirsi Aaltonen,Kristel Kegler,Vinaya Venkat,Thanakorn Niamsap,Lauri Kareinen,Rasmus Malmgren,Olga Kivelä ,Nina Atanasova,Pamela Ö sterlund,Teemu Smura,Antti Sukura,Tomas Strandin,Lara Dutra,Olli Vapalahti,Heli Nordgren,Ravi Kant,Tarja Sironen |
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| Affiliation: | University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (J. Virtanen, K. Aaltonen, K. Kegler, V. Venkat, T. Niamsap, L. Kareinen, R. Malmgren, O. Kivelä, N. Atanasova, T. Smura, A. Sukura, T. Strandin, L. Dutra, O. Vapalahti, H. Nordgren, R. Kant, T. Sironen);Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki (N. Atanasova);Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki (P. Österlund);Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki (O. Vapalahti) |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
We report an experimental infection of American mink with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and show that mink remain positive for viral RNA for days, experience clinical signs and histopathologic changes, and transmit the virus to uninfected recipients. Preparedness is crucial to avoid spread among mink and spillover to human populations. |
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| Keywords: | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 mink zoonoses models animals coronavirus disease severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viruses respiratory infections Finland |
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