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Researchers tested respiratory swabs collected from May 2022 through September 2023 and also assessed antibodies in serum samples. The results describe the animals and sites sampled during that period; they do not establish current infection prevalence in 2026. The peer-reviewed Nature Communications study concluded that exposure was widespread across the wildlife communities studied.
Which backyard animals tested positive?
The Nature Communications study authors reported SARS-CoV-2 RNA detections in 23 of 789 swab samples across six of the 23 sampled species. These are sample-specific detections, not estimates of current prevalence in local wildlife populations.
| Species | RNA-positive animals | Share of tested animals |
|---|---|---|
| Deer mouse | 8 of 172 | 4.7% |
| Virginia opossum | 4 of 140 | 2.9% |
| Raccoon | 4 of 84 | 4.8% |
| Eastern cottontail | 3 of 118 | 2.5% |
| Groundhog | 3 of 31 | 9.7% |
| Eastern red bat | 1 of 12 | 8.3% |
The study authors noted that the animals were sampled across Virginia and Washington, D.C., rather than in a random nationwide census. Species-specific sample sizes varied, so the percentages should not be treated as population-wide or current infection rates.
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Antibodies showed evidence consistent with earlier exposure
The researchers assessed neutralizing antibodies in serum samples from six species. In samples collected in 2022, they reported results above the study’s 60% neutralization cutoff in five species:
| Species | Serum samples above the cutoff | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern gray squirrel | 4 of 7 | 57.1% |
| Virginia opossum | 3 of 8 | 37.5% |
| Raccoon | 4 of 11 | 36.4% |
| White-footed mouse | 1 of 6 | 16.7% |
| Deer mouse | 1 of 14 | 7.1% |
These percentages and sample counts were reported by the Nature Communications study authors. Antibody evidence consistent with past exposure is distinct from detecting viral RNA in a swab. The small serum sample sizes also limit what can be inferred about each species as a whole.
How human activity related to wildlife exposure
The study authors reported three times higher seroprevalence at sites with high human activity than at low-human-use sites. This is an association in the sampled locations; it does not identify the exposure route for any individual animal.
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The researchers obtained viral genomic sequences from nine animals across six species. The sequences were assigned to seven Omicron Pango lineages and were similar to variants circulating in people at the time. The authors interpreted the genomic evidence as supporting at least seven recent human-to-animal transmission events. It does not show that every animal was infected in that way or that wildlife transmitted the virus to people.
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Does this prove wildlife is spreading COVID-19 to people?
No. The study found viral RNA and evidence consistent with past exposure in sampled wildlife. It did not demonstrate transmission from wildlife to people. A positive RNA test detects viral genetic material in a sample; it does not by itself establish that an animal infected another host.
The authors’ findings support human-to-animal spillover as an explanation for some infections, but the study does not establish a self-sustaining cycle of infection in any of the six species newly documented with RNA detections.
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Why scientists are watching wildlife
Monitoring wildlife can help researchers detect whether SARS-CoV-2 is circulating in animal populations and whether patterns change over time. The study authors said exposure was widespread across the wildlife communities they examined and suggested that areas with high human activity may be points of contact for cross-species transmission.
The study’s sampling ended in September 2023. It cannot establish the prevalence of infection in these populations in 2026 or the status of later variants in local wildlife; comparable new surveillance would be needed to answer those questions.
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The headline reflects evidence of exposure across multiple familiar mammal species sampled in Virginia and Washington, D.C. In the Nature Communications study, researchers tested 789 respiratory swab samples from 23 species collected between May 2022 and September 2023. They detected RNA in 23 samples, or 2.9%, and in six species.
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“Widespread” should not be read as meaning that most backyard animals nationwide were infected. The study describes sampled animals and sites in Virginia and Washington, D.C.; it does not provide a current national prevalence estimate or prove wildlife-to-human transmission.
The practical takeaway is to understand the findings as evidence for continued wildlife surveillance, not as proof that an ordinary backyard encounter is a source of COVID-19.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Which common backyard animals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2?
The study detected viral RNA in deer mice, Virginia opossums, raccoons, groundhogs, Eastern cottontails, and Eastern red bats sampled in Virginia and Washington, D.C.
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Did the study find antibodies in other wildlife?
Yes. The study authors reported neutralizing antibodies above their 60% cutoff in serum samples from Eastern gray squirrels, Virginia opossums, raccoons, white-footed mice, and deer mice. Antibody results indicate evidence consistent with past exposure and are not the same as a positive RNA test.
Are most backyard animals infected?
The study does not show that. It found RNA in 23 of 789 swab samples collected from May 2022 through September 2023 in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Those samples are not a nationwide or current prevalence estimate.
Did the study show that people can catch COVID-19 from wildlife?
No. It did not demonstrate wildlife-to-human transmission. The genomic findings supported the authors’ interpretation of recent human-to-animal transmission events.
The Bottom Line
A 2024 study detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in six wild mammal species sampled in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and found antibody evidence consistent with past exposure in five species. The results document exposure in the sampled wildlife communities, but do not establish current prevalence, infection in most backyard animals, or transmission from wildlife to people.
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