Coronavirus Infections in Animals, and Emergence of Variants of Concern

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 10965

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
2. Novasenta Inc., Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
Interests: coronaviruses; SARS-CoV; MERS-CoV; SARS-CoV2; coronaviruses host; host genetic diversity, evolution, and epidemiology of coronaviruses; immune pathogenesis; cytokine storms; COVID-19; SARS-CoV2 variants; B.1.617.2 (Delta); B.1.1.529 (Omicron)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Three pandemics in humans caused by virulent coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and current ongoing SARS-COV-2) occurred within a decade of each other. Their ancestors may all be traced back to animals. To prepare for the possible emergence of novel coronaviruses and to accelerate the development of their prevention and control, it is critical to gain insight into the mechanisms of genomic diversity and mutations, the animal immune system and coronavirus reservoir, the evolutionary process of cross-species transmission, and the emergence of concerning variants, among other things.

In the case of SARS-CoV-2, this is a major issue in that we didn’t know concurrent answer, who the intermediate host is and how SARS-CoV2 is transmitted, how animals favor different coronaviruses, and what their mechanism is, but there is no correlation between the coronavirus pandemic and its influence on society.

As a result, the purpose of this Special Issue is to collect publications (reviews, research articles, and brief communications, among others) on the animal reservoir, host genetic diversity, evolution, and epidemiology of coronaviruses, with a focus on their variations. This coronavirus still has many unknowns and intriguing qualities. We welcome submissions from a variety of disciplines, such as veterinary sciences, evolution and genetics, biomedical science, and virology, on topics such as forecasting future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, discovering new strains in animals and humans, and identifying mutations that alter virulence or transmissibility.

Dr. Sanjay Rathod
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • coronaviruses
  • SARS-CoV
  • MERS-CoV
  • SARS-CoV2
  • coronaviruses host
  • host genetic diversity, evolution, and epidemiology of coronaviruses
  • immune pathogenesis
  • cytokine storms
  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV2 variants
  • B.1.617.2 (Delta)
  • B.1.1.529 (Omicron)

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

9 pages, 1252 KiB  
Article
Molecular Detection and Characterization of Coronaviruses in Migratory Ducks from Portugal Show the Circulation of Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus
by Mahima Hemnani, David Rodrigues, Nuno Santos, Sergio Santos-Silva, Maria Ester Figueiredo, Pedro Henriques, Joana Ferreira-e-Silva, Hugo Rebelo, Patricia Poeta, Gertrude Thompson and João R. Mesquita
Animals 2022, 12(23), 3283; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233283 - 25 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1831
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are part of the Coronaviridae family, and the genera Gamma (γ) and Delta (δ) are found mostly in birds. Migratory birds have an enormous potential for dispersing pathogenic microorganisms. Ducks (order Anseriformes) can host CoVs from birds, with pathogenic expression and [...] Read more.
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are part of the Coronaviridae family, and the genera Gamma (γ) and Delta (δ) are found mostly in birds. Migratory birds have an enormous potential for dispersing pathogenic microorganisms. Ducks (order Anseriformes) can host CoVs from birds, with pathogenic expression and high economic impact. This study aimed to identify and characterize the diversity of CoVs in migratory ducks from Portugal. Duck stool samples were collected using cloacal swabs from 72 individuals (Anas platyrhynchos, Anas acuta, and Anas crecca). Among the 72 samples tested, 24 showed amplicons of the expected size. Twenty-three were characterized as Gammacoronavirus and one as Deltacoronavirus (accession numbers ON368935-ON368954; ON721380-ON721383). The Gammacoronaviruses sequences showed greater similarities to those obtained in ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) from Finland and Poland, Anas crecca duck from the USA, and mute swans from Poland. Birds can occupy many habitats and therefore play diverse ecological roles in various ecosystems, especially given their ability to migrate exceptional distances, facilitating the dispersal of microorganisms with animal and/or human impact. There are a considerable number of studies that have detected CoVs in ducks, but none in Portugal. The present study assessed the circulation of CoVs in wild ducks from Portugal, being the first description of CoVs for these animals in Portugal. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1424 KiB  
Article
Evidence of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in Dogs and Cats from Households and Animal Shelters in Korea
by Da-Yun Bae, Dongseob Tark, Sung-Hyun Moon, Jae-Ku Oem, Won-Il Kim, Chul Park, Ki-Jeong Na, Choi-Kyu Park, Yeonsu Oh and Ho-Seong Cho
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2786; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202786 - 15 Oct 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2494
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by the zoonotic SARS-CoV-2. A variety of animals involved in human life worldwide have been investigated for infection. As the degree of infection increased, extensive monitoring in animals became necessary to determine the degree of infection in animals. [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by the zoonotic SARS-CoV-2. A variety of animals involved in human life worldwide have been investigated for infection. As the degree of infection increased, extensive monitoring in animals became necessary to determine the degree of infection in animals. The study was conducted on a sample of dogs and cats, which were randomly sampled according to the number of confirmed cases in the region. Animals from both COVID-19-confirmed households and generally disease-negative families and animal shelters were included. Tests included real-time qPCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 antigens, ELISA for antibodies, and plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT) for neutralizing antibodies. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected in 2 cats out of 1018 pets (672 dogs and 346 cats). A total of 16 dogs (2.38%) and 18 cats (5.20%) tested positive using ELISA, and 14 dogs (2.08%) and 17 cats (4.91%) tested positive using PRNT. Antigens of- and/or antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were detected in the animals regardless of whether the companion family was infected; this was the case even in animal shelters, which have been regarded as relatively safe from transmission. In conclusion, continuous viral circulation between humans and animals is inevitable; therefore, continuous monitoring in animals is required. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 266 KiB  
Article
First Description of Serological Evidence for SARS-CoV-2 in Lactating Cows
by Filomena Fiorito, Valentina Iovane, Ugo Pagnini, Claudia Cerracchio, Sergio Brandi, Martina Levante, Luisa Marati, Gianmarco Ferrara, Virginio Tammaro, Esterina De Carlo, Giuseppe Iovane and Giovanna Fusco
Animals 2022, 12(11), 1459; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12111459 - 4 Jun 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6120
Abstract
Following the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak in Ariano Irpino, Campania region (Italy), we tested lactating cows for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on a cattle farm at which, prior to the investigation, 13 of the 20 farmworkers showed COVID-19-like symptoms, and one of them died. [...] Read more.
Following the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak in Ariano Irpino, Campania region (Italy), we tested lactating cows for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on a cattle farm at which, prior to the investigation, 13 of the 20 farmworkers showed COVID-19-like symptoms, and one of them died. Twenty-four lactating cows were sampled to detect SARS-CoV-2. All nasal and rectal swabs and milk samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Of the 24 collected serum samples, 11 showed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, 14 showed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and 13 developed neutralising antibodies for SARS-COV-2; all samples were negative for Bovine Coronavirus (BCoV), another betacoronavirus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of natural serological evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in lactating cows. We hypothesise that this may be a case of reverse zoonosis. However, the role of cattle in SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission seems to be negligible. Full article
Back to TopTop