SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission via the skin to oro-nasal route with the production of bioaerosols in the ferret model.

Shipley, R; Seekings, AH; Byrne, AMP; Shukla, S; James, J; Goharriz, H; Lean, FZX; Núñez, A; Fooks, AR; McElhinney, LM; Brookes, SM

SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission via the skin to oro-nasal route with the production of bioaerosols in the ferret model.

Shipley, R

Seekings, AH Byrne, AMP Shukla, S James, J Goharriz, H Lean, FZX Núñez, A Fooks, AR McElhinney, LM Brookes, SM

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Publisher:: MICROBIOLOGY SOC
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: J Gen Virol, 2024, 105, (9)
Issue Date:: 2024-09

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Shipley, R https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7039-9596
dc.contributor.author	Seekings, AH
dc.contributor.author	Byrne, AMP
dc.contributor.author	Shukla, S
dc.contributor.author	James, J
dc.contributor.author	Goharriz, H
dc.contributor.author	Lean, FZX
dc.contributor.author	Núñez, A
dc.contributor.author	Fooks, AR
dc.contributor.author	McElhinney, LM
dc.contributor.author	Brookes, SM
dc.date.accessioned	2025-05-19T03:00:24Z
dc.date.available	2025-05-19T03:00:24Z
dc.date.issued	2024-09
dc.identifier.citation	J Gen Virol, 2024, 105, (9)
dc.identifier.issn	0022-1317
dc.identifier.issn	1465-2099
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/187404
dc.description.abstract	Direct and indirect transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been attributed to virus survival in droplets, bioaerosols and on fomites including skin and surfaces. Survival of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) on the skin and virus transference following rounds of skin-to-skin contact were assessed on porcine skin as a surrogate for human skin. SARS-CoV-2 variants were detectable on skin by RT-qPCR after 72 h at biologically relevant temperatures (35.2 °C) with viral RNA (vRNA) detected after ten successive skin-to-skin contacts. Skin-to-skin virus transmission to establish infection in ferrets as a model for mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in mustelids and humans was also investigated and compared to intranasal ferret inoculation. Naïve ferrets exposed to Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 in a 'wet' or 'dry' form on porcine skin resulted in robust infection with shedding detectable for up to 14 days post-exposure, at comparable viral loads to ferrets inoculated intranasally. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to naïve ferrets in direct contact with infected ferrets was achieved, with environmental contamination detected from ferret fur swabs and air samples. Genetic substitutions were identified in bioaerosol samples acquired following single contact passage in ferrets, including Spike, ORF1ab, and ORF3a protein sequences, suggesting a utility for monitoring host adaptation and virus evolution via air sampling. The longevity of SARS-CoV-2 variants survival directly on the skin and skin-to-skin transference, enabling subsequent infection via the skin to oro-nasal contact route, could represent a pathway for SARS-CoV-2 infection with implications to public and veterinary health.
dc.format	Print
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	MICROBIOLOGY SOC
dc.relation.ispartof	J Gen Virol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1099/jgv.0.002022
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	06 Biological Sciences, 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, 11 Medical and Health Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Virology
dc.subject.classification	30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.subject.classification	32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Ferrets
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Skin
dc.subject.mesh	Disease Models, Animal
dc.subject.mesh	Swine
dc.subject.mesh	Aerosols
dc.subject.mesh	Fomites
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	RNA, Viral
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Skin
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Swine
dc.subject.mesh	Ferrets
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Disease Models, Animal
dc.subject.mesh	RNA, Viral
dc.subject.mesh	Aerosols
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Fomites
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Ferrets
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Skin
dc.subject.mesh	Disease Models, Animal
dc.subject.mesh	Swine
dc.subject.mesh	Aerosols
dc.subject.mesh	Fomites
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	RNA, Viral
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.title	SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission via the skin to oro-nasal route with the production of bioaerosols in the ferret model.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	105
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
utslib.for	07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-05-19T03:00:21Z
pubs.issue	9
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	105
utslib.citation.issue	9

Abstract:

Direct and indirect transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been attributed to virus survival in droplets, bioaerosols and on fomites including skin and surfaces. Survival of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) on the skin and virus transference following rounds of skin-to-skin contact were assessed on porcine skin as a surrogate for human skin. SARS-CoV-2 variants were detectable on skin by RT-qPCR after 72 h at biologically relevant temperatures (35.2 °C) with viral RNA (vRNA) detected after ten successive skin-to-skin contacts. Skin-to-skin virus transmission to establish infection in ferrets as a model for mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in mustelids and humans was also investigated and compared to intranasal ferret inoculation. Naïve ferrets exposed to Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 in a 'wet' or 'dry' form on porcine skin resulted in robust infection with shedding detectable for up to 14 days post-exposure, at comparable viral loads to ferrets inoculated intranasally. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to naïve ferrets in direct contact with infected ferrets was achieved, with environmental contamination detected from ferret fur swabs and air samples. Genetic substitutions were identified in bioaerosol samples acquired following single contact passage in ferrets, including Spike, ORF1ab, and ORF3a protein sequences, suggesting a utility for monitoring host adaptation and virus evolution via air sampling. The longevity of SARS-CoV-2 variants survival directly on the skin and skin-to-skin transference, enabling subsequent infection via the skin to oro-nasal contact route, could represent a pathway for SARS-CoV-2 infection with implications to public and veterinary health.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/187404