Virus detection in wild rats, Rattus norvegicus
Rats were trapped between June 2020 and November 2020 in Liverpool, UK. RNA was extracted from lung, small intestine and faeces and then either (i) equal amounts of RNA from the same tissue type from 3 to 4 rats was pooled; this is samples PR_01 to PR_09, or (ii) equal amounts of RNA from the three tissue types of individual rats was pooled; this is samples R_042 to R_086. Samples PC_01 and PC_02 are positive controls consisting of laboratory rat tissue that was spiked with 108 or 104 UV inactivated Vero E62DPI SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, respectively before RNA preparation. The RNA was rRNA depleted using the NEBNext rRNA process using human/mouse/rat baits before sequencing.