Abstract Minks are raised in many countries and have transmitted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to humans. However, the biologic properties of SARS-CoV-2 in minks are largely unknown. Here, we investigated and found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates efficiently in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts, and transmits efficiently in minks via respiratory droplets; pulmonary lesions caused by SARS-CoV-2 in minks are similar to those seen in humans with COVID-19. We further found that a spike protein-based subunit vaccine largely prevented SARS-CoV-2 replication and lung damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in minks. Our study indicates that minks are a useful animal model for evaluating the efficacy of drugs or vaccines against COVID-19 and that vaccination is a potential strategy to prevent minks from transmitting SARS-CoV-2.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Transmission, animal model, Replication, mink, pathogenicity, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Efficacy, Vaccine, coronavirus, vaccination, SARS-COV-2 infection, Human, drug, humans, SARS-CoV-2 replication, biologic, lung damage, acute respiratory syndrome, subunit, respiratory tracts, country, Prevent, caused, transmitted, investigated, raised, replicate, indicate, prevented, pulmonary lesion, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 transmission of SARS-CoV-2,