Journal Article

One Health Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Non-Human Primates and Small Mammals in Minas Gerais, Brazil

de Jesus Teixeira, Thaynara, Ottone, Vinícius de Oliveira, Gonçalves-dos-Santos, Maria Eduarda, Penha, Gabriele Barbosa, Oliveira-Silva, Ramon, dos Santos Nunes Ferreira, Alice, Simonini-Teixeira, Danilo, Oliveira, Danilo Bretas de, de Oliveira, Cirilo Henrique, Almeida-Souza, Pedro Augusto, Roehe, Paulo Michel, de Oliveira, Leonardo Camilo, Silva, Thamires Gabriele Macedo, Gusmão, Emerson Márcio, Celestino, Iago Alves, Abreu, Filipe Vieira Santos de, Campos, Fabrício Souza, Teixeira, Mauro Martins

2025

Overview

Although the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic primarily affected the human population, the virus has also been detected in various animal species worldwide, raising concerns about its potential to establish new animal reservoirs. This study aimed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates (NHPs) and synanthropic small mammals (SSMs) in the Jequitinhonha Valley and Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Between October 2021 and October 2023, 119 animals were sampled, 82 NHPs and 37 SSMs, across 22 municipalities. A total of 342 biological samples—including oral and nasal swabs, lungs, livers, spleens, blood, and feces—were collected and analyzed using RT-qPCR, while 37 serum samples were submitted to neutralization tests. Despite the diversity of sampled species, habitats, and biological materials, no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection or specific antibodies was detected in any of the individuals tested. The results suggest that NHPs and SSMs in these regions did not act as reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period. This finding is particularly relevant given the high synanthropy of species such as Callithrix penicillata (black-tufted marmoset) and Rattus rattus (black rat), which frequently interact with human populations. Our study underscores the importance of integrating animal, human, and environmental health perspectives under a One Health framework to monitor emerging zoonotic threats. By providing baseline data on SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in wildlife, we emphasize the need for ongoing ecological and epidemiological surveillance to assess potential spillover events and their implications for biodiversity and public health in Brazil.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Animal human relations / Animal species / Animals / Antibodies, Viral - blood / Biodiversity / Biological materials / Biological properties / Biological samples / Brazil - epidemiology / Callithrix - virology / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - epidemiology / COVID-19 - veterinary / COVID-19 - virology / Disease Reservoirs - virology / Disease transmission / Diseases / Environmental health / Enzymes / Epidemiology / Human populations / Humans / Infections / Ketamine / Laboratories / Mammals / Marsupialia / Marsupials / molecular surveillance / Neutralization / One Health / Opossums / Pandemics / Platyrrhini / Population studies / Primates / Primates - virology / Public health / Rattus rattus / RNA polymerase / Rodentia / Rodents / Samples / SARS-CoV-2 - genetics / SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Small mammals / Species diversity / Testing / Vegetation / Viral diseases / Wildlife / Zoonoses