Absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats and dogs in close contact with a cluster of COVID-19 patients in a veterinary campus

Temmam, Sarah; Barbarino, Alix; Maso, Djérène; Behillil, Sylvie; Enouf, Vincent; Huon, Christèle; Jaraud, Ambre; Chevallier, Lucie; Backović, Marija; Pérot, Philippe; Verwaerde, Patrick; Tiret, Laurent; Werf, Sylvie van der; Éloit, Marc

doi:10.1101/2020.04.07.029090

Cited by 32 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…While our results are inconsistent with transfection studies using civet ACE2 receptors expressed in HeLa cells ( 1 ), these experiments have limitations as discussed above, and no data are available on infectivity in civet cells or animals. While carnivores closely related to dogs (dingoes, maned wolves, and foxes) all scored low, experimental data consistently show that dogs are not readily infected or symptomatic ( 45 , 60 , 66 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Broad host range of SARS-CoV-2 predicted by comparative and structural analysis of ACE2 in vertebrates

Damas

Hughes

Keough

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

535

641

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The novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of COVID-19. The main receptor of SARS-CoV-2, angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), is now undergoing extensive scrutiny to understand the routes of transmission and sensitivity in different species. Here, we utilized a unique dataset of ACE2 sequences from 410 vertebrate species, including 252 mammals, to study the conservation of ACE2 and its potential to be used as a receptor by SARS-CoV-2. We designed a five-category binding score based on the conservation properties of 25 amino acids important for the binding between ACE2 and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Only mammals fell into the medium to very high categories and only catarrhine primates into the very high category, suggesting that they are at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We employed a protein structural analysis to qualitatively assess whether amino acid changes at variable residues would be likely to disrupt ACE2/SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding and found the number of predicted unfavorable changes significantly correlated with the binding score. Extending this analysis to human population data, we found only rare (frequency <0.001) variants in 10/25 binding sites. In addition, we found significant signals of selection and accelerated evolution in the ACE2 coding sequence across all mammals, and specific to the bat lineage. Our results, if confirmed by additional experimental data, may lead to the identification of intermediate host species for SARS-CoV-2, guide the selection of animal models of COVID-19, and assist the conservation of animals both in native habitats and in human care.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Broad host range of SARS-CoV-2 predicted by comparative and structural analysis of ACE2 in vertebrates

Damas

Hughes

Keough

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

535

641

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Animal susceptibility to infection by SARS-CoV-2 has been studied in vivo [18,19,50,51,57] and in vitro [20][21][22] during the course of the pandemic. Parallel in silico work has made use of the protein structure of the S-protein:ACE2 complex to computationally predict the breadth of possible viral hosts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein predicted to form complexes with host receptor protein orthologues from a broad range of mammals

Bordin

Waman

et al. 2020

Preprint

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SARS-CoV-2 has a zoonotic origin and was transmitted to humans via an undetermined intermediate host, leading to infections in humans and other mammals. To enter host cells, the viral spike protein (S-protein) binds to its receptor, ACE2, and is then processed by TMPRSS2. Whilst receptor binding contributes to the viral host range, S-protein:ACE2 complexes from other animals have not been investigated widely. To predict infection risks, we modelled S-protein:ACE2 complexes from 215 vertebrate species, calculated their relative energies, correlated these energies to COVID-19 infection data, and analysed structural interactions. We predict that known mutations are more detrimental in ACE2 than TMPRSS2. Finally, we demonstrate phylogenetically that human SARS-CoV-2 strains have been isolated in animals. Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can infect a broad range of mammals, but not fish, birds or reptiles. Susceptible animals could serve as reservoirs of the virus, necessitating careful ongoing animal management and surveillance.

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“…No positive cases were reported in dogs exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in France. 16 Another recent study in Italy carried out with pets has shown that none of the 817 animals studied was positive to SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR test but 13 dogs and 6 cats had neutralizing antibodies. 13 In this manuscript we report that, during the months of the pandemic, an increase of aggressive lung pathologies in dogs was detected by veterinarians in Spain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 by healthy and sick dogs during COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Perisé-Barrios

Tomeo-Martín

Gómez-Ochoa³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease originated by SARS-CoV-2. Infection of animals with SARS-CoV-2 are being reported during last months, and also an increase of severe lung pathologies in domestic dogs has been detected by veterinarians in Spain. Therefore it is necessary to describe the pathological processes in those animals that show symptoms similar to those described in humans affected by COVID-19. The potential for companion animals contributing to the continued human-to-human disease, infectivity, and community spread is an urgent issue to be considered. Forty animals with pulmonary pathologies were studied by chest X-ray, ultrasound study, and computed tomography. Nasopharyngeal and rectal swab were analyzed to detect canine pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. Twenty healthy dogs living in SARS-CoV-2 positive households were included. Immunoglobulin detection by different immunoassays was performed. Our findings show that sick dogs presented severe alveolar or interstitial pattern, with pulmonary opacity, parenchymal abnormalities, and bilateral lesions. Forty dogs were negative for SARS-CoV-2 but Mycoplasma spp. was detected in 26 of 33 dogs. Five healthy and one pathological dog presented IgG against SARS-CoV-2. Here we report that despite detecting dogs with IgG α-SARS-CoV-2, we never obtained a positive RT-qPCR, not even in dogs with severe pulmonary disease; suggesting that even in the case of a canine infection transmission would be unlikely. Moreover, dogs living in COVID-19 positive households could have been more exposed to be infected during outbreaks.

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Absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats and dogs in close contact with a cluster of COVID-19 patients in a veterinary campus

Cited by 32 publications

References 4 publications

Broad host range of SARS-CoV-2 predicted by comparative and structural analysis of ACE2 in vertebrates

Broad host range of SARS-CoV-2 predicted by comparative and structural analysis of ACE2 in vertebrates

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein predicted to form complexes with host receptor protein orthologues from a broad range of mammals

Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 by healthy and sick dogs during COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

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