VN July 2020

Vetnuus | Julie 2020 38 Bits and Bobs I Stukkies en Brokkies Serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 for experimental, domestic, companion and wild animals excludes intermediate hosts of 35 different species of animals In a short communication, published on 2 April 2020 in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases , the authors mention that the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 has been reported in 123 countries with more than 5,000 patients dying from it [Editor's note - more than 9,1 million cases worldwide (as on 21 June), with total deaths worldwide more than 472 000] . However, the original and intermediate hosts of the virus remain unknown. In this study, 1,914 serum samples from 35 animal species were used for detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies using double-antigen sandwich ELISA after validating its specificity and sensitivity. The results showed that no SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were detected in above samples which excluded the possibility of 35 animal species as intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2. More importantly, companion animals including pet dogs (including one dog the SARS- CoV-2 patient kept and two dogs which had close contact with it) and cats, street dogs and cats also showed serologically negative to SARS-CoV-2, which relieved the public concerns for the pets as SARS-CoV-2 carriers. Read the full article at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tbed.13577 v Africa’s endangered wildlife at risk as tourismdries up The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new alertness, and a new fear. With tourists gone and their money, too, protecting endangered wildlife like black rhinos has become that much more challenging. And the poachers, like many desperate to make a living, might become more daring. Rhinos have long been under threat from poachers who kill them for their horns to supply illegal trade fueled by the mistaken belief that the horns have medicinal value. Now there are concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic may increase such poaching, said John Tekeles, a patrol guide and head of the dog unit at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. The number of black rhinos in Africa has been slowly increasing though the species remains “critically endangered,” according to a report in March by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN. It credits, in part, effective law enforcement. Ol Pejeta is home to more than 130 black rhinos, the single largest population in East and Central Africa, said Richard Vigne, the conservancy’s managing director. Protecting them is expensive. Ol Pejeta spends about $10,000 per year per rhino on that protection, Vigne said. “In our case that comes to close to $2 million a year,”he said.“In the time of COVID, when tourism has completely stopped, where most of our revenue comes from tourism, the revenue we need to earn to protect the rhino comes from tourism, it’s a complete disaster.” The conservancy expects to see $3 million to $4 million in lost revenue this year. Therefore, Vigne said, “our ability to look after the rhinos is compromised.”Conservationists across Africa are now monitoring to see how poachers might try to take advantage, and whether more rare wildlife will be killed. (Source: https://apnews.com) v Gerry Zambonini, CC BY-SA 2.0