Probable Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from African Lion to Zoo Employees, Indiana, USA, 2021

Siegrist, Audrey A.; Richardson, Kira L.; Ghai, Ria R.; Pope, Brian; Yeadon, Jamie; Culp, Betsy; Behravesh, Casey Barton; Liu, Lixia; Brown, Jennifer A.; Boyer, Leslie V.

doi:10.3201/eid2906.230150

i

Probable Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from African Lion to Zoo Employees, Indiana, USA, 2021

Supporting Files Public Domain

6 2023
By Siegrist, Audrey A. ; Richardson, Kira L. ; Ghai, Ria R. ; ...

File Language:

English

Details

Alternative Title:

Emerg Infect Dis
Personal Author:

Siegrist, Audrey A. ; Richardson, Kira L. ; Ghai, Ria R. ; Pope, Brian ; Yeadon, Jamie ; Culp, Betsy ; Behravesh, Casey Barton ; Liu, Lixia ; Brown, Jennifer A. ; Boyer, Leslie V. ; Siegrist, Audrey A. ; Richardson, Kira L. ; Ghai, Ria R. ; Pope, Brian ; Yeadon, Jamie ; Culp, Betsy ; Behravesh, Casey Barton ; Liu, Lixia ; Brown, Jennifer A. ; Boyer, Leslie V.
Description:

We describe animal-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a zoo setting in Indiana, USA. A vaccinated African lion with physical limitations requiring hand feeding tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after onset of respiratory signs. Zoo employees were screened, monitored prospectively for onset of symptoms, then rescreened as indicated; results were confirmed by using reverse transcription PCR and whole-genome virus sequencing when possible. Traceback investigation narrowed the source of infection to 1 of 6 persons. Three exposed employees subsequently had onset of symptoms, 2 with viral genomes identical to the lion's. Forward contact tracing investigation confirmed probable lion-to-human transmission. Close contact with large cats is a risk factor for bidirectional zoonotic SARS-CoV-2 transmission that should be considered when occupational health and biosecurity practices at zoos are designed and implemented. SARS-CoV-2 rapid testing and detection methods for big cats and other susceptible animals should be developed and validated to enable timely implementation of One Health investigations.
Subjects:

Animals Contact Tracing COVID-19/veterinary Humans Lions SARS-CoV-2
Source:

Emerg Infect Dis. 2023; 29(6):1102-1108 ; Emerg Infect Dis. 2023; 29(6):1102-1108
Pubmed ID:

37069611
Pubmed Central ID:

PMC10202875
Document Type:

Journal Article
Place as Subject:

Indiana
Volume:

29
Issue:

6
Collection(s):

Emerging Infectious Diseases
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:f6ce06eb16672931b81b4bab6c51b95edeed5ef9b94dc08ae44b34eea93e1e9c
Download URL:

https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/129725/cdc_129725_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 2.15 MB ]

File Language:

English

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