Journal
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
Volume 11, Issue 1, Pages 91-94Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.2011625
Keywords
Swine; Coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; One Health
Categories
Funding
- Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Safety of the Netherlands
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
- Grifols
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By combining the results of experimental and observational studies, it was determined that SARS-CoV-2 infection, transmission, and reservoir development in swine are unlikely to occur on a large scale. Sporadic infections may not be excluded entirely, but serological evidence for widespread transmission was not observed.
In order to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, transmission and reservoir development in swine, we combined results of an experimental and two observational studies. First, intranasal and intratracheal challenge of eight pigs did not result in infection, based on clinical signs and PCR on swab and lung tissue samples. Two serum samples returned a low positive result in virus neutralization, in line with findings in other infection experiments in pigs. Next, a retrospective observational study was performed in the Netherlands in the spring of 2020. Serum samples (N = 417) obtained at slaughter from 17 farms located in a region with a high human case incidence in the first wave of the pandemic. Samples were tested with protein micro array, plaque reduction neutralization test and receptor-binding-domain ELISA. None of the serum samples was positive in all three assays, although six samples from one farm returned a low positive result in PRNT (titers 40-80). Therefore we conclude that serological evidence for large scale transmission was not observed. Finally, an outbreak of respiratory disease in pigs on one farm, coinciding with recent exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infected animal caretakers, was investigated. Tonsil swabs and paired serum samples were tested. No evidence for infection with SARS-CoV-2 was found. In conclusion, Although in both the experimental and the observational study few samples returned low antibody titer results in PRNT infection with SARS-CoV-2 was not confirmed. It was concluded that sporadic infections in the field cannot be excluded, but large-scale SARS-CoV-2 transmission among pigs is unlikely.
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