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PITTSBURGH – Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have found COVID-19 antibodies in populations of wild white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania and three other states, indicating the animals were infected with the virus.
According to the study, researchers said deer are susceptible to coronavirus, have a large population of around 30 million animals, and often come in close contact with humans. The study could help “identify species that may serve as reservoirs or hosts for the virus.”
The researchers also wrote that there is absolutely no evidence that people can contract COVID-19 from preparing or eating meat from an animal that has been infected.
The study used a total of 481 samples collected between January 2020 and March 2021 in Illinois, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. COVID-19 antibodies were found in 33% of the samples. The results were not consistent and varied by state:
- Illinois: 7% of 101 samples were positive for antibodies
- Michigan: 67% of 113 samples were positive for antibodies
- New York: 19% of 68 samples were positive for antibodies
- Pennsylvania: 31% of 199 samples were positive for antibodies
The study warned that these numbers should not be used to assume that 33% of the entire deer population is infected with COVID-19.
USDA officials said they did not know how the deer became infected with the virus. They may have been exposed to it by humans, other deer or other animal species. They added that there was no indication that deer play a major role in the spread of the virus and based on the most recent information, “the risk of animals transmitting COVID-19 to humans is low” .
An animal is said to be exposed to or infected with COVID-19 when antibodies to it are detected in its blood. Antibodies are created when an animal’s immune system reacts to the virus and it does not mean that there is an infection going on.
© 2021 Cox Media Group
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