biostudies-literatureUnknown20(5)Beissat KSince the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, a wide range of animal species (pets, mink…) have been naturally infected with this betacoronavirus. The emergence of new variants has increased the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect species that were not susceptible to the "original" SARS-CoV-2, such as mice and rats. This work attempted to evaluate the role of urban rats in the SARS-CoV-2 transmission by combining surveillance studies of rat populations in urban environments, in vivo experimental inoculation of SARS-CoV-2 and comparative viral-receptor interaction in silico analyses. We studied the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in wild Rattus norvegicus (n = 401) captured in urban areas and sewage systems of several French cities. Except for 3 incPloS onee0316882https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12068656biostudies-literatureInfectious potential and circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in wild rats.PMC12068656Lattard VSoro SDBoue FPicard-Meyer EFafournoux AServat AMonchatre-Leroy EChatron NVincent-Hubert FWasniewski MBeissat KfalseInfectious potential and circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in wild rats.Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, a wide range of animal species (pets, mink…) have been naturally infected with this betacoronavirus. The emergence of new variants has increased the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect species that were not susceptible to the "original" SARS-CoV-2, such as mice and rats. This work attempted to evaluate the role of urban rats in the SARS-CoV-2 transmission by combining surveillance studies of rat populations in urban environments, in vivo experimental inoculation of SARS-CoV-2 and comparative viral-receptor interaction in silico analyses. We studied the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in wild Rattus norvegicus (n = 401) captured in urban areas and sewage systems of several French cities. Except for 3 inc2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-06-02T21:02:55.637Z2026-04-20T03:14:24.586ZS-EPMC120686564035442710.1371/journal.pone.0316882