Serological survey of antibodies against SARS‐CoV‐2 in dogs and cats, Thailand

Abstract

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome virus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging severe acute respiratory disease affecting global human health. In this study, a large-scale serological survey of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats was conducted during the first and second waves of COVID-19 outbreaks in Thailand, from April to December 2020. A total of 3215 serum samples were collected from dogs (n = 2102) and cats (n = 1113) living in Bangkok and in the vicinities. Serum samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by using an indirect multispecies enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positive and suspected samples were additionally tested for neutralizing antibodies by the surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT). The indirect ELISA results showed that 1.66% (35 out of 2103) of dogs and 0.36% (four out of 1112) of cats were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The sVNT results showed that all ELISA-positive and suspected samples were negative for neutralizing antibodies. Positive serum samples (35 dogs and four cats) were obtained from clinically healthy animals and animals with mild respiratory signs aged <1-13 years living in Bangkok and Samutprakarn Provinces. In summary, a serological survey revealed evidence of anti-N-IgG antibodies suggesting SARS-CoV-2 exposure in both dogs and cats during the first and second COVID-19 outbreaks in Thailand.

Prevalence of anti‐severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies in cats in Germany and other European countries in the early phase of the coronavirus disease‐19 pandemic

“…Two of them, conducted in Italy, revealed a prevalence of 1% (1/105) and 0% (0/99) (Spada et al., 2021 ; Stranieri et al., 2021 ). Another one, performed in Thailand, found a prevalence of 0.36% (4/1,112) (Udom et al., 2021 ). Moreover, an investigation of 17 cats with owners that previously tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 was performed (Neira et al., 2021 ).…”

Experimental and natural infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 in pets and wild and farm animals

“…The positive sera were collected from the owners with COVID-19, pet hospitals, and stray ani mals [98]. The same result in Thailand showed that 1.66% of the sera collected from dogs during the outbreak were positive to SARS-CoV-2 antibodies [92].…”

“…However, all nasopharyngeal and anal swabs were negative for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA [27]. In Thailand, a serological survey was conducted on cats from April to December 2020 and showed that 4 of 1112 sera antibodies were positive to antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 [92].…”

Myocardial Injury Complicated by Systolic Dysfunction in a COVID-19-Positive Dog

“…Although such zoonotic disease has probably disseminated mainly by human-to-human transmission, the existence of hundreds of millions of companion animals living closely with humans raises the question of their potential role in the outbreak [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Accordingly, several studies have been recently performed in dogs and cats in many countries [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], demonstrating their susceptibility to this infection. However, it is important to acknowledge that the majority of these studies are serological and/or molecular surveys primarily aimed at evaluating the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among domestic animals, not the related clinical compromise [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

“…Accordingly, several studies have been recently performed in dogs and cats in many countries [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], demonstrating their susceptibility to this infection. However, it is important to acknowledge that the majority of these studies are serological and/or molecular surveys primarily aimed at evaluating the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among domestic animals, not the related clinical compromise [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Consequently, to date, there is little evidence to determine how commonly SARS-CoV-2 naturally infected dogs and cats develop clinical signs and to characterise the clinical manifestations of the viral infection in these species.…”