Award details

What's the Risk from and to European wildlife from SARS-like Coronaviruses?

Reference	BB/W009501/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Rachael Tarlinton
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Malcolm Bennett, Dr Adam Blanchard, Dr Elizabeth Chadwick, Dr Frank Hailer, Mr Stephen Harrison, Professor Matthew Loose, Professor Fiona Mathews
Institution	University of Nottingham
Department	School of Veterinary Medicine and Sci
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	291,532
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	28/06/2021
End date	27/12/2022
Duration	18 months

Abstract

unavailable

Summary

The current COVID-19 human pandemic had its origins in SE Asian wildlife, and although the natural, endemic host remains unknown (most likely bats), onward transmission from humans to other species including large outbreaks in farmed mink and cases in domestic cats keep occuring . The outbreak in mink in Europe and the USA with transmission back to humans has raised the spectre of the virus establishing itself in other animal hosts, creating a new reservoir for the virus, with potentially serious consequences for both humans and affected animals. Europe is home to a large number of wild mustelid species, including feral mink, along with bats known to carry SARS-like viruses and cricetid rodents thought to be susceptible to SARs-CoV2. However, we currently have no idea whether any virus spill-over or circulation is occurring in these animals. This project will perform PCR based screening of faecal and lung samples from the highest risk wildlife species for SARS-CoV-2 like viruses in the UK (bats, mustelids and cricetid rodents), including retrieval of full virus sequences from any positive animals using NGS sequencing techniques (Illumina and Nanopore). The project will determine: a) If SARS-COV-2 spill-over from humans into wildlife is currently occurring b) What other coronaviruses these animals are carrying This will enable decisions to be made as to whether SARS-CoV-2 circulation in European wildlife represents a real risk to the human population and/or to wildlife, and if monitoring or mitigation programmes are necessary

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Animal Health, Microbiology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Covid19 Rapid Response [2020]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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