A study, posted on the bioRxiv website, has found the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in a third of the White-tailed deer sampled in Iowa between September 2020 and January 2021, according to Forbes.
Researchers from Penn State, University of Cambridge, University of Chicago, and Houston Methodist Hospital looked at the samples of retropharyngeal lymph nodes from more than 283 deer, of which 151 were free-living and 132 were in captivity.
The team looked at the retropharyngeal lymph node samples for evidence of the coronavirus genetic material using RT-PCR. They found that more than 33% of all samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 genetic material. And from November 23, 2020, to January 10, 2021, this number even higher up to 82.5% with 80 of 97 having detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA, per the news outlet.
Please note that the study has not yet been published in a scientific journal.
However, the researchers said this finding was not too surprising. The spread of COVID has already been seen in lions, tigers, cats, dogs, monkeys, and other animals. In fact, there is strong evidence that the viruses may be circulating among bats before affecting humans.
The researchers, however, said it was surprising to see the percentage of deer infected by the virus. They found that most cases were clustered together geographically, suggesting that the deer in many cases probably spread the coronavirus to other deer.
There were different clusters of deer infected in separate parts of Iowa over time so experts believe that humans might have passed the virus to different deer on different occasions.
White-tailed deer are common in North America and they could serve as a reservoir for the virus. The virus may be spread among deer and potentially other animals. Therefore, it is important to implement measures to stop the spread of the virus among all animals, including deer.
Officials are urged to design strategies and interventions to try to contain the virus and end this pandemic even among animals.
If you want to hold animals and deer to our hearts, make sure you try to avoid it or do not too close, as they are yet to be vaccinated.
