COVID-19 Mutates Rapidly in White-tailed Deer
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stark reminder that viruses can rapidly evolve and spread through populations. In a new study, researchers have found that the virus can also mutate quickly in wild animals, such as white-tailed deer. The findings provide further evidence that wildlife can act as a reservoir for the virus, making it even more difficult to contain its spread.
Researchers studied a herd of white-tailed deer and discovered that the virus had mutating rapidly over a period of just 10 weeks. The mutations were mainly found in the spike protein, which the virus uses to attach itself to host cells. This suggests that the virus was able to replicate quickly and move between deer, indicating that the virus can jump between different species more easily than previously thought.
source: Phys.org