SARS‐CoV‐2 surveillance for a non‐human primate breeding research facility

• Published in: Journal of medical primatology Vol. 49; no. 6; pp. 322 - 331
• Main Authors: Yee, JoAnn L., Van Rompay, Koen K. A., Carpenter, Amanda B., Nham, Peter B., Halley, Bryson M., Iyer, Smita S., Hartigan‐O'Connor, Dennis J., Miller, Christopher J., Roberts, Jeffrey A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.12.2020; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; antibody; Antibody response; Betacoronavirus - genetics; Betacoronavirus - immunology; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; Breeding; Colonies; Coronavirus Infections - veterinary; Coronavirus Infections - virology; COVID-19; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Feces - virology; Humans; Macaca mulatta - virology; management practices; Monkey Diseases - virology; Original; Pandemics; Pandemics - veterinary; Pneumonia, Viral - veterinary; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA PCR; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; SARS-CoV-2; Sentinel Surveillance - veterinary; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; testing algorithm; COVID-19; RNA PCR; antibody; management practices; testing algorithm
• ISSN: 0047-2565; 1600-0684; 1600-0684
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12483

Background The emergence of SARS‐CoV‐2 and the ensuing COVID‐19 pandemic prompted the need for a surveillance program to determine the viral status of the California National Primate Research Center non‐human primate breeding colony, both for reasons of maintaining colony health and minimizing the risk of interference in COVID‐19 and other research studies. Methods We collected biological samples from 10% of the rhesus macaque population for systematic testing to detect SARS‐CoV‐2 virus by RT‐PCR and host antibody response by ELISA. Testing required the development and validation of new assays and an algorithm using in laboratory‐developed and commercially available reagents and protocols. Results and Conclusions No SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA or antibody was detected in this study; therefore, we have proposed a modified testing algorithm for sentinel surveillance to monitor for any future transmissions. As additional reagents and controls become available, assay development and validation will continue, leading to the enhanced sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and efficiency of testing.