Context
SARS-CoV-2 transmission between humans and farm animals is a major concern for public health. In the case of minks, the first case of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported in April 2020, in the Netherlands. Since then, more than 400 cases of human-to-mink and mink-to-human transmissions have been confirmed within the European Union. Importantly, several analyses have shown the existence of mutations in mink-derived SARS-CoV-2 strains that affect areas involved in ACE2 receptor binding. These results indicate that widespread circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus within farm mink populations could lead to the creation of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 strains.
In this study, the Coriolis Compact air sampler (Bertin Instruments, Montigny-les-Bretonneux, France) was used to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infection outbreaks in 2 mink farms at different breeding stages. The aim was to characterize the air and environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 of the mink farms after the resolution of the outbreaks.
