A study from Nature Communications highlights the white-tailed deer species is a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 that enables continuing mutation, and the virus’s circulation in deer could lead to its spread to other wildlife and livestock.
And the evidence is growing that humans can get it from deer, which isn’t radically surprising. It’s probably not a one-way pipeline.”
Source: Ohio Farmer, September 6, 2023. Link. White-tailed deer across Ohio have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and the results also show that viral variants evolve about three times faster in deer than in humans.
Also see: Study finds deer are virus reservoirs, promoting ongoing mutation, SciTechDaily, August 28, 2023. Link. Genomic analysis showed that at least 30 infections in deer had been introduced by humans which surprised the research team. The SARS-CoV-2 infections in white-tailed deer were not limited to urban locations.
NOTE: The CDC recommends that people hunting deer stick to the normal recommended safety steps, such as wearing gloves and cooking meat thoroughly with the addition of possibly wearing a mask when field dressing the animals <Link>.