TY - JOUR
AU - Lu, Lu
AU - Sikkema, Reina S.
AU - Velkers, Francisca C.
AU - Nieuwenhuijse, David F.
AU - Fischer, Egil A.J.
AU - Meijer, Paola A.
AU - Bouwmeester-Vincken, Noortje
AU - Rietveld, Ariene
AU - Wegdam-Blans, Marjolijn C.A.
AU - Tolsma, Paulien
AU - Koppelman, Marco
AU - Smit, Lidwien A.M.
AU - Hakze-van der Honing, Renate W.
AU - van der Poel, Wim H. M.
AU - van der Spek, Arco N.
AU - Spierenburg, Marcel A. H.
AU - Molenaar, Robert Jan
AU - Rond, Jan de
AU - Augustijn, Marieke
AU - Woolhouse, Mark
AU - Stegeman, J. Arjan
AU - Lycett, Samantha J.
AU - Oude Munnink, Bas B.
AU - Koopmans, Marion P.G.
PY - 2021
DA - November
TI - Adaptation, spread and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed minks and associated humans in the Netherlands
JO - Nature Communications
VL - 12
DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27096-9
AB - In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020), SARS-CoV-2 was detected in farmed minks and genomic sequencing was performed on mink farms and farm personnel. Here, we describe the outbreak and use sequence data with Bayesian phylodynamic methods to explore SARS-CoV-2 transmission in minks and humans on farms. High number of farm infections (68/126) in minks and farm workers (&gt;50% of farms) were detected, with limited community spread. Three of five initial introductions of SARS-CoV-2 lead to subsequent spread between mink farms until November 2020. Viruses belonging to the largest cluster acquired an amino acid substitution in the receptor binding domain of the Spike protein (position 486), evolved faster and spread longer and more widely. Movement of people and distance between farms were statistically significant predictors of virus dispersal between farms. Our study provides novel insights into SARS-CoV-2 transmission between mink farms and highlights the importance of combining genetic information with epidemiological information when investigating outbreaks at the animal-human interface.
PB - Springer Nature
UR - https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/7632cf88-ef32-4b3c-9fda-571f2c8f267a
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
KW - Environment, community and place
ER