Yohannes Berhane1, 2 *, Matthew Suderman1, Shawn Babiuk1, 3 and Bradley Pickering1, 4
Running Title: Susceptibility of poultry to SARS-CoV-2 virus
1National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada
2University of Manitoba, Department of Animal Science, 12 Dafoe Road , 201 Animal Science Bldg. Winnipeg, MB , R3T 2N2, Canada
3Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
4Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
*Corresponding Author
Abstract
Susceptibility of turkeys, chickens and chicken embryos to SARS-CoV-2 virus was evaluated by experiment inoculation. Turkeys and chickens were inoculated using a combination of intranasal, oral and ocular routes. Both turkeys and chickens did not develop clinical disease or antibodies to the virus following inoculation. Viral RNA was not detected in oral and cloacal swabs and in tissues using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. In addition, chicken embryos were inoculated using the yolk sac, intravenous, chorioallantoic membrane and allantoic cavity routes did not support replication of the virus. SARS-COV-2 virus does not affect both turkeys and chickens in the current genetic state and does not pose any potential risk to establish in both species of domestic poultry.