Serological Survey of SARS-CoV-2 in Wild Canids in Serbia: First Report in Red Foxes and Golden Jackals

Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there has been growing interest in investigating the transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 and identifying the potential reservoirs in wildlife. To date, the virus has been detected in a wide range of wildlife animals. SARS-CoV-2 has also been demonstrated the ability to infect dogs, raising concerns that other carnivores, such as free-living canids, might serve as a potential sources of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of specific IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in golden jackals (Canis aureus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Serbia. A total of 165 individuals from ten districts including the City of Belgrade were collected and examined from the beginning of August 2024 to the end of March 2025. Of this number, 17 samples were positive (17/165), which represents 10.3% of all specimens tested. Among 83 red foxes, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 11 animals (13.3%), whereas reactive sera were identified in 6 of 82 jackals (7.3%). The analyses were performed using a commercial multi-species ELISA (IDVet, France), with results confirmed by an in-house ELISA, previously developed for the detection of COVID-19 in humans and adapted for canids. Our findings confirm that wild animals are indeed exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and that golden jackals and red foxes may serve as competent hosts for infection, posing a threat for human health. These results represent the first detection of SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in wild carnivores in Serbia, highlighting the need for further surveillance and investigation.