Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection in urban and peri-urban wildlife species from Catalonia (Spain).
Leira Fernández-BastitTomás MontalvoSandra FrancoLaura BarahonaManel López-BejarAnnais CarbajalEncarna Casas-DíazFrancesc Closa-SebastiàJoaquim SegalésJúlia Vergara-AlertPublished in: One health outlook (2024)
The absence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure or acute infection in wild boar and rodent species supports their negligible role in viral spread or transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic in Catalonia. However, their proximity to humans and the ongoing genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 underline the need for continued monitoring. Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in animal species can contribute to design measures to control the emergence of new animal reservoirs or intermediate hosts that could facilitate viral spillover events.