The deer, which has 30 million individuals in the United States, could become the host of a new strain of Sars-CoV-2, responsible for Covid-19. “The circulation of the virus in an animal population always raises the possibility of a return to humans, but above all, it offers more opportunities for the virus to evolve into new variants,” said the researcher.
“We should change the vaccine”
Blood samples and nasal swabs taken from 131 deer captured on Staten Island, New York, revealed that nearly 15% of them had antibodies to the virus. The discovery suggests that these animals had already been infected with the coronavirus. Most importantly, they are vulnerable to repeated reinfection with new variants, according to several researchers led by Pennsylvania State University.
“When the virus mutates completely, it can escape the protection of the current vaccine. Then the vaccine would have to be changed again,” added Suresh Kuchipudi. There is currently no evidence that animals transmit the virus to humans. However, most coronavirus infections have been reported in species that have had close contact with someone with Covid-19, according to the US Department of Agriculture.