Dataset Information

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Companion Animals in Households with Confirmed Human COVID-19 Cases.

ABSTRACT: We aimed to characterize SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals living in households with COVID-19-positive people and understand the dynamics surrounding how these animals become infected. Public health investigators contacted households with at least one confirmed, symptomatic person with COVID-19 for study recruitment. Blood, nasal, and rectal swab specimens were collected from pet dogs and cats and a questionnaire was completed. Specimens were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, and for neutralizing antibodies; genomic sequencing was performed on viral-positive samples. A total of 36.4% of 110 pets enrolled had evidence of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Pets were more likely to test positive if the pet was immunocompromised, and if more than one person in the home was positive for COVID-19. Among 12 multi-pet households where at least one pet was positive, 10 had at least one other pet test positive. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the genomes of viral lineages circulating in the community during the time of sample collection. Our findings suggest a high likelihood of viral transmission in households with multiple pets and when pets had very close interactions with symptomatic humans. Further surveillance studies are needed to characterize how new variants impact animals and to understand opportunities for infection and spillover in susceptible species.

SUBMITTER: Venkat H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11206992 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Companion Animals in Households with Confirmed Human COVID-19 Cases.

Venkat Heather H Yaglom Hayley D HD Hecht Gavriella G Goedderz Andrew A Ely Jennifer L JL Sprenkle Michael M Martins Taylor T Jasso-Selles Daniel D Lemmer Darrin D Gesimondo Jordan J Ruberto Irene I Komatsu Kenneth K Engelthaler David M DM

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) 20240601 6

We aimed to characterize SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals living in households with COVID-19-positive people and understand the dynamics surrounding how these animals become infected. Public health investigators contacted households with at least one confirmed, symptomatic person with COVID-19 for study recruitment. Blood, nasal, and rectal swab specimens were collected from pet dogs and cats and a questionnaire was completed. Specimens were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, and for neut ...[more]

PMID: 38921764

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Project description:The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a zoonotic disease caused by the pandemic virus SARS-CoV-2. Domestic and wild animals are susceptible to infection and are potential reservoirs for virus variants. To date, there is no information about the exposure of companion animals in Buenos Aires Suburbs, the area with the largest population in Argentina where the highest number of COVID-19 human cases occurred during the first infection wave. Here we developed a multi-species indirect ELISA to measure antibodies reactive to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) from several vertebrates constituting the class Mammalia, making it a valuable tool for field serosurveillance. The ELISA cut-off value was estimated by sera from dogs, cats, cattle, and pigs sampled before 2019 (n = 170), considering a 98% percentile and a grey zone to completely exclude any false positive result. Specificity was confirmed by measuring levels of neutralizing antibodies against canine coronavirus, the avidity of specific antibodies, and their capacity to impede the binding of a recombinant RBD protein to VERO cells in an In-Cell ELISA. Sera from 464 cats and dogs sampled in 2020 and 2021 ("pandemic" samples) were assessed using the RBD-ELISA. Information on COVID-19 disease in the household and the animals' lifestyles was collected. In Buenos Aires Suburbs cats were infected at a higher proportion than dogs, seroprevalence was 7.1 and 1.68%, respectively. Confirmed COVID-19 in the caregivers and outdoor lifestyle were statistically associated with seropositivity in cats. The risk of cats getting infected living indoors in COVID-19-negative households was null. The susceptibility of mammals to SARS-CoV-2, the possibility of transmission between animals themselves and humans, together with the free-roaming lifestyle typical of Buenos Aires suburban companion animals, urge pursuing responsible animal care and avoiding human interaction with animals during the disease course. The multi-species RBD-ELISA we developed can be used as a tool for serosurveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in mammalians (domestic and wild), guiding further targeted virological analyses to encounter susceptible species, interspecies transmission, and potential virus reservoirs in our region.

Dataset Information

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Companion Animals in Households with Confirmed Human COVID-19 Cases.

Publications

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Companion Animals in Households with Confirmed Human COVID-19 Cases.

Similar Datasets

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