SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Captive Hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius), Belgium

Francis Vercammen; Brigitte Cay; Sophie Gryseels; Nadège Balmelle; Léa Joffrin; Koenraad Van Hoorde; Bavo Verhaegen; Elisabeth Mathijs; Rianne Van Vredendaal; Tanmay Dharmadhikari; Koen Chiers; Tim J S Van Olmen; Gianfilippo Agliani; Judith M A Van den Brand; Herwig Leirs

doi:10.3390/ani13020316

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Captive Hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius), Belgium

Animals (Basel). 2023 Jan 16;13(2):316. doi: 10.3390/ani13020316.

Authors

Francis Vercammen¹, Brigitte Cay², Sophie Gryseels^{3

4}, Nadège Balmelle², Léa Joffrin³, Koenraad Van Hoorde⁵, Bavo Verhaegen⁵, Elisabeth Mathijs², Rianne Van Vredendaal³, Tanmay Dharmadhikari³, Koen Chiers⁶, Tim J S Van Olmen⁷, Gianfilippo Agliani⁷, Judith M A Van den Brand⁷, Herwig Leirs³

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Research and Conservation, Antwerp Zoo Society, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium.
² Unit Enzootic, Vector-Borne and Bee Diseases, Sciensano, 1180 Brussels, Belgium.
³ Department of Biology, Antwerp University, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
⁴ Directorate Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
⁵ Unit Foodborne Pathogens, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
⁶ Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
⁷ Division of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Two adult female hippos in Zoo Antwerp who were naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed nasal discharge for a few days. Virus was detected by immunocytochemistry and PCR in nasal swab samples and by PCR in faeces and pool water. Serology was also positive. No treatment was necessary.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; captive; faeces; hippo; nasal; pool.

Publication types

Case Reports

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.