Developing and validating serological assays to SARS-COV-2 for highly susceptible animal species

Project Summary SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus that is known to interact with the angiotensin- converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor of several species, including humans, cats, dogs, minks, ferrets, deer, and others. Since its emergence in Wuhan, China in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID- 19, has been classified as a pandemic, causing havoc on public health and resulting in worldwide lockdowns. Due to its sudden emergence, as well as its similarity to SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, it is suspected that SARS-CoV-2 likely had an intermediate animal host. However, the similarities in the ACE2 receptors of coronaviruses have sparked the question of which animal species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, and capable of viral transmission. Reverse-zoonosis has been described in a few of these species, indicating that human-animal interactions can pose two-sided risks for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, it is critical to produce accurate diagnostic serological tests for animals to understand prevalence of the virus in the animal population. This project will compare diagnostic results between commercial ELISAs, developed in-house ELISAs, and serum neutralization assays for SARS-CoV-2, as well as Western blot against other coronaviruses to rule out cross-reactivity. The outcome of this study will provide insight into the accuracy (Se/Sp) of commercially available serological tests, newly developed in-house serological techniques, and collect data on SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in target species, which will include minks, ferrets, white-tailed deer, domestic dogs and cats, cows, sheep, and goats.