https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:1879 Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Related Coronaviruses Circulating in Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) Confiscated From the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Viet Nam Nga, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga Wildlife Conservation Society Fine, Amanda E. Amanda E. Fine Wildlife Conservation Society Olson, Sarah H. Sarah H. Olson Wildlife Conservation Society Walzer, Chris Chris Walzer 0000-0002-0437-5147 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / Wildlife Conservation Society Roberton, Scott I. Scott I. Roberton Wildlife Conservation Society Mazet, Jonna A. K. Jonna A. K. Mazet University of California Johnson, Christine K. Christine K. Johnson University of California Hoa, Nguyen Thi Nguyen Thi Hoa Viet Nam National University of Agriculture Lan, Nguyen Thi Nguyen Thi Lan Viet Nam National University of Agriculture Quang, Le Tin Vinh Le Tin Vinh Quang Regional Animal Health Office No. 6 Hung, Vo Van Vo Van Hung Regional Animal Health Office No. 6 Phuong, Nguyen Thanh Nguyen Thanh Phuong Regional Animal Health Office No. 6 Long, Pham Thanh Pham Thanh Long Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development of Viet Nam Hai, Lam Kim Lam Kim Hai Save Vietnam's Wildlife Thai, Hoang Van Hoang Van Thai Cuc Phuong National Park Phuong, Tran Quang Tran Quang Phuong Cuc Phuong National Park Thai, Nguyen Van Nguyen Van Thai Save Vietnam's Wildlife Anh, Nguyen Thi Lan Nguyen Thi Lan Anh Wildlife Conservation Society Ngoc, Pham Thi Bich Pham Thi Bich Ngoc Wildlife Conservation Society Long, Nguyen Van Nguyen Van Long Wildlife Conservation Society Latinne, Alice Alice Latinne Wildlife Conservation Society Thuy, Hoang Bich Hoang Bich Thuy Wildlife Conservation Society Frontiers Media Sa text eng Abstract: Despite the discovery of several closely related viruses in bats, the direct evolutionary progenitor of SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been identified. In this study, we investigated potential animal sources of SARS-related coronaviruses using archived specimens from Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) and Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, and from common palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) raised on wildlife farms in Viet Nam. A total of 696 pangolin and civet specimens were screened for the presence of viral RNA from five zoonotic viral families and from Sarbecoviruses using primers specifically designed for pangolin coronaviruses. We also performed a curated data collection of media reports of wildlife confiscation events involving pangolins in Viet Nam between January 2016 and December 2020, to illustrate the global pangolin supply chain in the context of Viet Nam where the trade confiscated pangolins were sampled for this study. All specimens from pangolins and civets sampled along the wildlife supply chains between February 2017 and July 2018, in Viet Nam and tested with conventional PCR assays designed to detect flavivirus, paramyxovirus, filovirus, coronavirus, and orthomyxovirus RNA were negative. Civet samples were also negative for Sarbecoviruses, but 12 specimens from seven live pangolins confiscated in Hung Yen province, northern Viet Nam, in 2018 were positive for Sarbecoviruses. Our phylogenetic trees based on two fragments of the RdRp gene revealed that the Sarbecoviruses identified in these pangolins were closely related to pangolin coronaviruses detected in pangolins confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces, China. Our curated data collection of media reports of wildlife confiscation events involving pangolins in Viet Nam between January 2016 and December 2020, reflected what is known about pangolin trafficking globally. Pangolins confiscated in Viet Nam were largely in transit, moving toward downstream consumers in China. Confiscations included pangolin scales sourced originally from Africa (and African species of pangolins), or pangolin carcasses and live pangolins native to Southeast Asia (predominately the Sunda pangolin) sourced from neighboring range countries and moving through Viet Nam toward provinces bordering China. Coronavirus, Pangolin, SARS-CoV-2, One Health, Wildlife trade, Trafficking, EID, Spillover http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:1879/download 10.3389/fpubh.2022.826116 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Frontiers in Public Health 10 (2022) Frontiers in Public Health 10 3.07 MB 2022