#SARS-CoV-2 within-host population expansion, diversification and #adaptation in #zoo #tigers, #lions and #hyenas
Abstract SARS-CoV-2 rapidly adapts to new hosts following cross-species transmission; this is highly relevant as unique within-host variants have emerged following infection of susceptible wild and domestic animal species . Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 transmission from animals (e.g., white-tailed deer, mink, domestic cats, and others) back to humans has been observed , documenting the potential of animal-derived variants to infect humans. Here, we investigate SARS-CoV-2 evolution and host-specific adaptation during an outbreak in Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), African lions (Panthera leo), and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) at Denver Zoo in 2021 . SARS-CoV-2 genomes from longitudinal samples from 16 individuals are evaluated for within-host variation and genomic signatures of selection, and we determine that the outbreak was likely initiated by a single spillover of a rare Delta sublineage . Within-host virus populations rapidly expand and diversify, and we detect signature...