Zoonotic spill-over of SARS-CoV-2: mink-adapted virus in humans

Objectives: This work aimed to analyse possible zoonotic spill-over of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We report the spill-over of mink-adapted SARS-CoV-2 from farmed mink to humans after adaptation that lasted at least 3 months.

Methods: Next-generation sequencing and a bioinformatic approach were applied to analyse the data.

Results: In an isolate obtained from an asymptomatic patient testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, we found four distinguishing mutations in the S gene that gave rise to the mink-adapted variant (G75V, M177T, Y453F, and C1247F) and others.

Conclusions: Zoonotic spill-over of SARS-CoV-2 can occur from mink to human.