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Forum Name: Latest News
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URL: http://www.avianflutalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=44653 Printed Date: April 24 2024 at 9:38am
Topic: NL hamster spreading Delta in Hong Kong ???Posted By: Dutch Josh
Subject: NL hamster spreading Delta in Hong Kong ???
Date Posted: January 18 2022 at 3:59am
“Genome sequencing [done on the worker’s virus sample] found that the genome type was the one circulating in Europe and Pakistan,” the source said. “There is a chance [of infection] through hamsters imported from the Netherlands, which also had that genome type [found on the worker].
“That’s why it’s very likely that the transmission this time is from animals to humans.”
DJ Not yet much more in NL news....
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Replies: Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: January 18 2022 at 5:16am
DJ Instead of killing the HK hamsters maybe trying to cure them-test medication-a better idea ? Most of the hamsters that will be killed may not even test positive...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: KiwiMum
Date Posted: January 18 2022 at 11:38am
We learnt at school that during the Black Death in Europe in the middle ages, people mistakenly thought that cats and dogs were spreading the flea that carried the plague and so they killed them all, and of course we now know with hindsight that the flea was on the rats who were the reserviour for the plague and killing the cats and dogs was making it worse because the rat population exploded without these animals to predate them.
I agree with you that they shouldn't be killing the hamsters, but studying them. Killing them seems a knee jerk reaction like killing the cats and dogs.
------------- Those who got it wrong, for whatever reason, may feel defensive and retrench into a position that doesn’t accord with the facts.
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: January 25 2022 at 12:28am
Killing hamsters that have been in households for weeks is particularly dumb. Even in the very unlikely scenario that the hamster was infected, hamsters only shed the virus for a short period of time (a few days), so there would be no risk now.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters in Hong Kong is an indication that there is more spread in people than is understood (or acknowledged). Culling hamsters is either a misinformed response or an attempt to deflect blame for burgeoning local human transmission (or both).
Today’s report of https://hongkongfp.com/2022/01/18/covid-19-hong-kong-to-kill-2000-hamsters-other-small-animals-over-untraceable-delta-outbreak-at-pet-shop/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(6, 58, 177); text-decoration: underline; - Hong Kong’s plan to kill thousands of small mammals is an example of a huge miss. Hong Kong did a great job regarding animal aspects of SARS-CoV-2 at the start of the pandemic by proactively quarantining and testing pets of people with COVID-19, and that helped us understand a lot about the disease in dogs and cats. Their proactive approach decreased over time, logically based on evolving information, so this extreme reaction now is a bit surprising.
What triggered this response? Infection of a person – the origin of most SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals.
Here’s how the story goes. A pet shop worker was identified with COVID-19 caused by the delta variant. Another person with COVID-19 reported visiting the store around the same time, and her daughter had handled a hamster. In response to that, officials tested hundreds of animals at the workplace.
That’s fine. Actually, that’s great, since it can provide us with more information about human-to-pet transmission risks.
11 infected hamsters were identified
Other species all tested negative
However, the subsequent response to the test results was the problem.
~2000 small mammals across 34 different pet stores and housing facilities will be euthanized.
Anyone who purchased a hamster after December 22 will be required to surrender the pet to authorities for euthanasia. (A “hamster hotline” has even been set up for this.)
Does this response make sense?
No. It’s good to pay attention to and evaluate risks, but too often “kill the animal” is the “easy” response to something that just needs some thought and effort.
What could feasibly be done instead?
Small mammals are very easy to isolate safely. If there’s concern, they could quarantine the animal facilities or stores, do some more testing and handle things with basic infection control measures. The risk wouldn’t be zero (there’s rarely a scenario with zero risk when it comes to infectious diseases) but the risk would be exceptionally low, animals wouldn’t be unnecessarily killed, and we’d get more important information about this virus in animal populations.
DJ Hamsters are small and easy to blame/kill...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: KiwiMum
Date Posted: January 25 2022 at 11:18am
This is all distraction. What are they trying to distract our attention away from?
How ridiculous to kill hamsters.
------------- Those who got it wrong, for whatever reason, may feel defensive and retrench into a position that doesn’t accord with the facts.
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: January 29 2022 at 7:15am
"#SARSCoV2 viral genomes deduced from human & hamster cases in this incident all belong to #Delta variant of concern (AY.127) that had not been circulating locally prior. These sequences are highly similar, but distinct...
infection in these hamsters occurred around 21 Nov 2021."
Does hamster sneeze? Here is our preprint of about SARS-CoV-2 in pet hamsters. We show:1 )hamster can be infected in real life settings 2 )the hamster virus can jump back to human and 3 )the hamster virus can cause sustianed transmission in human. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4017393
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (Variant Delta) from Pet Hamsters to Humans and Onward Human Propagation of the Adapted Strain: A Case Study
19 PagesPosted: 28 Jan 2022
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043863" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Hui-Ling Yen
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043864" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Thomas HC Sit
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043865" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Christopher J. Brackman
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043866" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Shirley SY Chuk
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=4766508" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Samuel M.S. Cheng
The University of Hong Kong - School of Public Health
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043867" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Haogao Gu
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043868" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Lydia DJ Chang
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043869" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Pavithra Krishnan
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043870" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Daisy YM Ng
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043871" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Gigi YZ Liu
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043872" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Mani MY Hui
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043873" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Sin Ying Ho
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043874" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Karina WS Tam
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043875" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Pierra YT Law
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043876" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Wen Su
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043877" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Sin Fun Sia
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043878" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Ka-Tim Choy
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043879" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Sammi SY Cheuk
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043880" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Sylvia PN Lau
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043881" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Amy WY Tang
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043882" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Joe CT Koo
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=5043883" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Louise Yung
The University of Hong Kong
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=676553" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Gabriel Leung
University of Hong Kong - School of Public Health & Department of Community Medicine
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=4524918" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - J.S. Malik Peiris
The University of Hong Kong - School of Public Health
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=4761296" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 118, 212); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;" title="View other papers by this author - Leo LM Poon
The University of Hong Kong - School of Public Health
Background: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to other mammals, including pet animals, has been reported. However, with the exception of farmed mink, there is no previous documentation that these infected animals can infect humans, nor of further onward spread among humans. Following a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection of a pet store worker, animals in the store and the warehouse supplying it were tested for evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods: Viral swabs and blood samples from pet animals were collected in a pet shop and the warehouse supplying it and tested by SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and serological assays, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive samples were studied by full genome sequencing analysis.
Findings: Over 50% of individually tested Syrian hamsters in the pet shop (8/16) and warehouse (7/12) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection in RT-PCR or serological tests. None of dwarf hamsters (n=77), rabbits (n=246), Guinea pigs (n=66), chinchilla (n=116) and mice (n=2) were confirmed positive in RT-PCR tests. SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes deduced from human and hamster cases in this incident all belong to Delta variant of concern (AY.127) that had not been circulating locally prior. These sequences are highly similar, but distinct. The viral genomes obtained from hamsters are phylogenetically related with some sequence heterogeneity and phylogenetic dating suggest infection in these hamsters occurred around 21 November 2021. Two separate transmission events to humans are documented, one leading to onward household spread.
Interpretation: Pet hamsters can be naturally infected in “real-life” settings. The virus can circulate within hamsters and lead to human infections. Both genetic and epidemiological results strongly suggest that there were two independent hamster-to-human transmission and that such events can lead to onward human transmission. Importation of infected hamsters was the most likely source of virus infection.
Infected aerosol encounters the eye which is bathed in lacrimal fluid (tears). Lacrimal fluid drains from the eye via the nasolacrimal duct to be discharged into the nose.