Longitudinal genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 across repeated passages between white-tailed deer
SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent of COVID-19, a disease associated with significant morbidity in mortality in humans and other mammals. The broad host range of SARS-CoV-2 has permitted multiple zoonotic spillover events from humans to animals and vice-versa, leading to a concern that wildlife reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 could be established and potentially become a source of future outbreaks. Research has demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 readily infects and spreads between white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Here, we infected reared white-tailed deer with SARS-CoV-2 in a controlled setting. Virus was subsequently isolated from the infected deer and used to infect additional deer with this process being repeated for a total of 6 times. Sequencing and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 across passages will help determine the mutation rate and likely mutations of the virus in wild deer, informing risk assessment.