Lion testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Indiana Zoo likely transmitted the virus to at least two of his caregivers, according to new research.

This is the first confirmed case of coronavirus transmission to humans from a zoo animal, researchers said.

However, this type of transmission is extremely rare, and in this particular case, it was likely due to the fact that the keepers had to hand-feed the lion, the scientists write in the study.

It has long been known that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19it can infect many species and how it can be transmitted from person to animal.

However, “animal-to-human transmission of the virus in a zoo environment has not been previously reported,” the researchers note.

An African lion in his 20s was diagnosed with coronavirus in December 2021 when he developed a cough and difficulty breathing. Ten caregivers who were in close contact with the sick feline were immediately tested, but all tested negative. However, after a week three caregivers were diagnosed as positive, although they did not come into contact with sick people.

In the new study, the researchers set about genetic sequencing of the samples they collected from both lion and lions. The results showed that the lion and two of the three guardians shared genetically identical virus strainhowever, the third sample did not show clear results.

The lion was old and he suffered from kidney disease and spinal degeneration, so his guardians had to hand-feed him. This greatly increased the chances that the keepers would catch the virus from the lion before it developed symptoms.

The researchers suggest that the lion contracted the virus from asymptomatic zoo man.

Covid is extremely dangerous for cats, which have the same receptors for the virus as humans, meaning they can become seriously ill or even die from the disease.

This particular lion, despite having received two doses of Covid medication, was killed a few days after diagnosis due to the severity of the symptoms.

Source: live science