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

Morais, Helio Autrán de; Santos, Andrea Pires dos; Nascimento, Naíla Cannes do; Kmetiuk, Louise Bach; Barbosa, David Soeiro; Brandão, Paulo Eduardo; Guimarães, Ana Márcia Sá; Pettan-Brewer, Christina; Biondo, Alexander Welker

doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.591216

Cited by 53 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 77 publications

(117 reference statements)

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“…By contrast, animal-to-human transmission was shown at infected mink farms [ 11 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. In cats, clinical disease accompanied with natural SARS-CoV-2 infection could be observed in some cases, with cats showing respiratory and/or gastrointestinal signs [ 13 , 20 , 44 , 45 ]. Notably, most cats that were infected under experimental conditions did not develop clinical signs, although viral shedding was present from day one up to day seven post infection [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 46 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Antibody Response in a Symptomatic Cat from Italy with Intestinal B-Cell Lymphoma

Klaus

Palizzotto

Zini

et al. 2021

Viruses

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Since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was first identified in early 2020, rare cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in pet cats have been reported worldwide. Some reports of cats with SARS-CoV-2 showed self-limiting respiratory or gastrointestinal disease after suspected human-to-feline transmission via close contact with humans with SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we investigated a cat with SARS-CoV-2 that was presented to a private animal clinic in Northern Italy in May 2020 in a weak clinical condition due to an underlying intestinal B-cell lymphoma. The cat developed signs of respiratory tract disease, including a sneeze, a cough and ocular discharge, three days after an oropharyngeal swab tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA using two real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays for the envelope (E) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detectable prior to the onset of clinical signs. Five and six months after positive molecular results, the serological testing substantiated the presence of a SARS-CoV-2 infection in the cat with the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies and neutralizing activity in a surrogate virus neutralization assay (sVNT). To the best of our knowledge, this extends the known duration of seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 in a cat. Our study provides further evidence that cats are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 under natural conditions and strengthens the assumption that comorbidities may play a role in the development of clinical disease.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Antibody Response in a Symptomatic Cat from Italy with Intestinal B-Cell Lymphoma

Klaus

Palizzotto

Zini

et al. 2021

Viruses

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“…COVID19 has had a significant impact on the human population globally, but so far very little is known about how SARS-CoV-2 virus impacts wildlife. Domestic cats and dogs have repeatedly been shown to be infected by SARS-CoV-2, but with few exceptions are asymptomatic or develop mild clinical disease (17,24,25). Farmed mink, on the other hand, are not only susceptible to infection, but can develop fulminating fatal disease (10,26).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survey of peridomestic mammal susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Porter

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Wild animals have been implicated as the origin of SARS-CoV-2, but it is largely unknown how the virus affects most wildlife species and if wildlife could ultimately serve as a reservoir for maintaining the virus outside the human population. Here we show that several common peridomestic species, including deer mice, bushy-tailed woodrats, and striped skunks, are susceptible to infection and can shed the virus in respiratory secretions. In contrast, we demonstrate that cottontail rabbits, fox squirrels, Wyoming ground squirrels, black-tailed prairie dogs, house mice, and racoons are not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our work expands upon the existing knowledge base of susceptible species and provides evidence that human-wildlife interactions could result in continued transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

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“…( E ) In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) first reported that human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is feasible [ 109 , 110 ]. ( F ) Natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 in animals transmitted from humans (i.e., reverse zoonosis or anthroponosis) have been detected in domestic dogs and cats, domestic mink, ferrets, mice, hamsters, captive gorillas, and captive large cats (e.g., tigers and lions) [ 111 , 112 ]. ( G ) Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 spillback from domestic minks to humans and intraspecies transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among minks has been detected [ 46 , 47 ].…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Host Diversity and Potential Transmission Pathways of SARS-CoV-2 at the Human-Animal Interface

Hedman¹,

Krawczyk

Helmy

et al. 2021

Pathogens

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Emerging infectious diseases present great risks to public health. The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become an urgent public health issue of global concern. It is speculated that the virus first emerged through a zoonotic spillover. Basic research studies have suggested that bats are likely the ancestral reservoir host. Nonetheless, the evolutionary history and host susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear as a multitude of animals has been proposed as potential intermediate or dead-end hosts. SARS-CoV-2 has been isolated from domestic animals, both companion and livestock, as well as in captive wildlife that were in close contact with human COVID-19 cases. Currently, domestic mink is the only known animal that is susceptible to a natural infection, develop severe illness, and can also transmit SARS-CoV-2 to other minks and humans. To improve foundational knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, we are conducting a synthesis review of its host diversity and transmission pathways. To mitigate this COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly advocate for a systems-oriented scientific approach that comprehensively evaluates the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the human and animal interface.

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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

Cited by 53 publications

References 77 publications

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Antibody Response in a Symptomatic Cat from Italy with Intestinal B-Cell Lymphoma

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Antibody Response in a Symptomatic Cat from Italy with Intestinal B-Cell Lymphoma

Survey of peridomestic mammal susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Host Diversity and Potential Transmission Pathways of SARS-CoV-2 at the Human-Animal Interface

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