Nationwide seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant and five Omicron sublineages in companion cats and dogs in the USA: insights into their role in COVID-19 epidemiology.

ABSTRACT: Understanding SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology in companion animals is critical for evaluating their role in viral transmission and their potential as sentinels for human infections. This large-scale serosurvey analyzed serum samples from 706 cats and 2,396 dogs collected across the USA in 2023 using a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Overall, 5.7% of cats and 4.7% of dogs tested positive for antibodies, with younger animals (under 12 months) showing significantly lower seropositivity rates (p = 0.0048). Additionally, we analyzed 153 positive samples for variant-specific antibody responses using six sVNT kits targeting the Delta variant and five Omicron sublineages. Among cats, 67.5% showed antibodies to Delta, with positivity rates for Omicron subl

SUBMITTER: Barua S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11636146 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature