136335 20260217205543.0 doi 10.3390/microorganisms12061143 sideral 139186 ART-2024-139186 eng Portillo, Aránzazu Screening for SARS-CoV-2 and Other Coronaviruses in Urban Pigeons (Columbiformes) from the North of Spain under a ‘One Health’ Perspective 2024 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Coronaviruses have a major impact on human and animal health. The SARS-CoV-2, a beta coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is a clear example. It continues circulating and causes human deaths, and its high replication rate results in numerous variants. Coronaviruses adapt to birds and mammals and constitute a serious threat, and new viruses are likely to emerge. Urban pigeons (Columbiformes) are synanthropic birds of great interest from a ‘One Health’ perspective, due to their interaction with humans and other animals. Aware that they may act as viral reservoirs and contribute to their spread, we aimed to investigate the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in Columbiformes in the city of Logroño, Spain. Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were tested using real-time (N1 and E genes from SARS-CoV-2) and conventional PCR assays (RdRp gene from all coronaviruses). SARS-CoV-2 was not detected. A total of 13.3% of pigeons harbored coronaviruses closely related to Gamma coronavirus (Igacovirus) from Columbiformes in Finland, Poland and China. Monitoring the emergence of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 capable of infecting Columbiformes should continue. SARS-CoV-2 is still circulating, the viral RNA of this virus has been detected in avian species (Phasianidae and Anatidae), and other coronaviruses are associated with animals that are in close contact with humans. The presence of Gamma coronavirus in urban pigeons must be considered for the risk of surveillance of human infections. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es 4.2 2024 MICROBIOLOGY 46 / 163 = 0.282 2024 Q2 T1 1.009 2024 Microbiology 2024 Q2 Virology 2024 Q2 Microbiology (medical) 2024 Q2 7.7 2024 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Cervera-Acedo, Cristina Palomar, Ana M. Ruiz-Arrondo, Ignacio Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0001-8198-8118 Santibáñez, Paula Santibáñez, Sonia Oteo, José A. 1009 773 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Patología Animal Área Sanidad Animal 12, 6 (2024), 1143 [7 pp.] Microorganisms Microorganisms 2076-2607 1034813 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/136335/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2763501 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/136335/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:136335 articulos driver 2026-02-17-20:37:01 ARTICLE