SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence and Cross-Variant Antibody Neutralization in Cats, United Kingdom

Tyson, Grace; Jones, S.; Logan, Nicola S; McDonald, Michael; Marshall, Leigh; Willett, Brian J.; Weir, William; Hosie, Margaret J.

doi:10.3201/eid2906.221755

Cited by 8 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(15 reference statements)

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“…Several studies have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 viruses detected in companion animals correspond to concurrent locally dominant lineages circulating in the human population ( 8 , 26 ). In this study, we found that the prevalence of antibodies in these cats and dogs was also in line with that found in the human population of Thailand, consistent with a previous report ( 28 ). Previous sero-epidemiological studies have yielded data indicating a low infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 in Thai people in various risk groups in Bangkok and Chiang Mai Province of Thailand during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which spanned the first two waves and part of the third wave of the COVID-19 outbreaks in Thailand ( 40 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Previous studies showed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in companion animals corresponds to concurrent locally dominant lineages circulating in the human population ( 8 , 26 ). The antibody response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in cats in the United Kingdom followed circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants in humans ( 28 ). It indicated that long-term multiple contact between humans and companion animals could cause pathogen spillover.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sero-epidemiological investigation and cross-neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in cats and dogs, Thailand

Suwanpakdee,

Ketchim,

Thongdee

et al. 2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Epidemiological data on SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals have been thoroughly investigated in many countries. However, information on the neutralizing cross-reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in companion animals is still limited. Here, we explored the neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in cats and dogs between May 2020 and December 2021 during the first wave (a Wuhan-Hu-1-dominant period) and the fourth wave (a Delta-dominant period) of the Thailand COVID-19 outbreak. Archival plasma samples of 1,304 cats and 1,795 dogs (total = 3,099) submitted for diagnosis and health checks were collected at the Prasu-Arthorn Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom. A microneutralization test was used to detect neutralizing antibodies against the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 and the Delta variants. A plasma sample with neutralizing titers ≥10 was considered positive. Our results showed relatively low seroprevalence with seropositive samples detected in 8 out of 3,099 individuals (0.26, 95% CI 0.11–0.51%). Among these cases, SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies from both the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 and the Delta variants were found in three out of eight cases in two cats (n = 2) and one dog (n = 1). Furthermore, neutralizing antibodies specific to only the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 variant were exclusively found in one cat (n = 1), while antibodies against only the Delta variant were detected in four dogs (n = 4). Additionally, the neutralizing cross-activities against SARS-CoV-2 variants (Alpha, Beta, and Omicron BA.2) were observed in the seropositive cats with limited capacity to neutralize the Omicron BA.2 variant. In summary, the seropositivity among cats and dogs in households with an unknown COVID-19 status was relatively low in Thailand. Moreover, the neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 found in the seropositive cats and dogs had limited or no ability to neutralize the Omicron BA.2 variant. Thus, monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection and sero-surveillance, particularly in cats, is imperative for tracking virus susceptibility to the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sero-epidemiological investigation and cross-neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in cats and dogs, Thailand

Suwanpakdee,

Ketchim,

Thongdee

et al. 2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…As with all studies of SARS-CoV-2 it is important to assess the individual virus lineages (22), especially with the Omicron variant, as substantial virological changes have occurred as the pandemic has proceeded. Based on the timing of the study, we sampled infections caused predominantly by pre-VOC SARS-CoV-2 (from the B.1 lineage, spanning both S:G614G and S:614D).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 serosurvey of healthy, privately owned cats presenting to a New York City animal hospital in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021)

Choi,

Stout,

Rollins

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Both domestic and non-domestic cats are now established to be susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While serious disease in cats may occur in some instances, the majority of infections appear to be subclinical. Differing prevalence data for SARS-CoV-2 infection of cats have been reported, and are highly context-dependent. Here, we report a retrospective serological survey of cats presented to an animal practice in New York City, located in close proximity to a large medical center that treated the first wave of COVID-19 patients in the US in the Spring of 2020. We sampled 79, mostly indoor, cats between June 2020 to May 2021, the early part of which time the community was under a strict public health lock-down. Using a highly sensitive and specific fluorescent bead-based multiplex assay, we found an overall prevalence of 13/79 (16%) serologically-positive animals for the study period; however, cats sampled in the Fall of 2020 had a confirmed positive prevalence of 44%. For SARS-CoV-2 seropositive cats, we performed viral neutralization test with live SARS-CoV-2 to additionally confirm presence of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies. Of the thirteen seropositive cats, 7/13 (54%) were also positive by virus neutralization, and 2 of seropositive cats had previously documented respiratory signs, with high neutralization titers of 1:1024 and 1:4096; overall however, there was no statistically significant association of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity with respiratory signs, or with breed, sex or age of the animals. Follow up sampling of cats, while limited in scope, showed that positive serological titers were maintained over time. In comparison, we found an overall confirmed positive prevalence of 51% for feline coronavirus (FCoV), an endemic virus of cats, with 30% confirmed negative for FCoV. We demonstrate the impact of SARS-CoV in a defined feline population during the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection of humans, and suggest that human-cat transmission was substantial in our study group. Our data provide a new context for SARS-CoV-2 transmission events across species.

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“…For faecal swabs, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) was added to the L6 buffer. When requested, we performed bespoke serological testing using a pseudotype-based virus neutralisation assay (PVNT) to detect neutralising antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 B.1/D614G, Alpha, Delta and Omicron BA.1, as applicable, as described previously [ 19 , 40 , 41 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the UK, none of 96 cat serum samples tested between March and April 2020 possessed neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, whereas two of 90 (2.2%) collected in January 2021 were positive [ 18 ]. Samples submitted to the Veterinary Diagnostic Service (VDS) at the University of Glasgow between April 2020 and February 2022 showed an overall seroprevalence of neutralising antibodies of 3.2% [ 19 ]; the three-month period with the highest seroprevalence, 5.3% in September–November 2021, occurred during the Delta wave. Taken together, these studies indicate that the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats increased between the start of the pandemic and the Delta wave.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 in Domestic UK Cats from Alpha to Omicron: Swab Surveillance and Case Reports

Jones,

Tyson,

Orton

et al. 2023

Viruses

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Although domestic cats are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the role of the virus in causing feline disease is less well defined. We conducted a large-scale study to identify SARS-CoV-2 infections in UK pet cats, using active and passive surveillance. Remnant feline respiratory swab samples, submitted for other pathogen testing between May 2021 and February 2023, were screened using RT-qPCR. In addition, we appealed to veterinarians for swab samples from cats suspected of having clinical SARS-CoV-2 infections. Bespoke testing for SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies was also performed, on request, in suspected cases. One RT-qPCR-positive cat was identified by active surveillance (1/549, 0.18%), during the Delta wave (1/175, 0.57%). Passive surveillance detected one cat infected with the Alpha variant, and two of ten cats tested RT-qPCR-positive during the Delta wave. No cats tested RT-qPCR-positive after the emergence of Omicron BA.1 and its descendants although 374 were tested by active and eleven by passive surveillance. We describe four cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pet cats, identified by RT-qPCR and/or serology, that presented with a range of clinical signs, as well as their SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences. These cases demonstrate that, although uncommon in cats, a variety of clinical signs can occur.

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SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence and Cross-Variant Antibody Neutralization in Cats, United Kingdom

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

Sero-epidemiological investigation and cross-neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in cats and dogs, Thailand

Sero-epidemiological investigation and cross-neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in cats and dogs, Thailand

SARS-CoV-2 serosurvey of healthy, privately owned cats presenting to a New York City animal hospital in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021)

SARS-CoV-2 in Domestic UK Cats from Alpha to Omicron: Swab Surveillance and Case Reports

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