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

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan, China, in 2019, is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now accepted that the wild fauna, probably bats, constitute the initial reservoir of the virus, but little is known about the role pets can play in the spread of the disease in human communities, knowing the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect some domestic animals. In this cross-sectional study, we tested the antibody response in a cluster of 21 domestic pets (9 cats and 12 dogs) living in close contact with their owners (belonging to a veterinary community of 20 students) in which two students tested positive for COVID-19 and several others ( n = 11/18) consecutively showed clinical signs (fever, cough, anosmia, etc. ) compatible with COVID-19 infection. Although a few pets presented many clinical signs indicative for a coronavirus infection, no antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detectable in their blood one month after the index case was reported, using an immunoprecipitation assay. These original data can serve a better evaluation of the host range of SARS-CoV-2 in natural environment exposure conditions.

Natural Infection by SARS-CoV-2 in Companion Animals: A Review of Case Reports and Current Evidence of Their Role in the Epidemiology of COVID-19

“…Among the animals, three cats showed respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms (99). Despite the proximity to infected guardians, no dog or cat tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR nor showed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in an immunoprecipitation assay (99). Despite the low sampling, the study suggested that the transmission rate of SARS-CoV-2 between humans and pets under natural conditions is probably very low, below a reproduction number of 1 (99).…”

“…Among the students, two tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, and 11 out of 18 showed clinical signs of COVID-19 (99). Among the animals, three cats showed respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms (99). Despite the proximity to infected guardians, no dog or cat tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR nor showed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in an immunoprecipitation assay (99).…”

“…It is important to emphasize that there is no transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from pets to humans to date and that transmission from people to pets is rare. In a study carried out by the Pasteur Institute (France) published in April 2020, 21 domestic animals were tested, including 9 cats and 12 dogs that lived in close contact with their guardians, a total of 20 veterinary students in France (99). Among the students, two tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, and 11 out of 18 showed clinical signs of COVID-19 (99).…”

“…In a study carried out by the Pasteur Institute (France) published in April 2020, 21 domestic animals were tested, including 9 cats and 12 dogs that lived in close contact with their guardians, a total of 20 veterinary students in France (99). Among the students, two tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, and 11 out of 18 showed clinical signs of COVID-19 (99). Among the animals, three cats showed respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms (99).…”

Experimental infection of domestic dogs and cats with SARS-CoV-2: Pathogenesis, transmission, and response to reexposure in cats

“…Serologic studies so far have failed to identify domestic dogs and cats as a primary source of human infection (8). Importantly, a survey of veterinary students with confirmed COVID-19 infection was unable to identify SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in their pets (9). Despite the low probability of pet-to-human or human-to-pet transmission, it remains important to clarify what role, if any, that domestic pets play in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.…”