Low serological rate of SARS-CoV-2 in cats from military bases in Israel
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kleinerman G
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9632235 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns that companion animals might be infected with, and could become a reservoir of, SARS-CoV-2. As cats are popular pets and susceptible to Coronavirus, we investigated the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in shelter cats housed in Dutch animal shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this large-scale cross-sectional study, serum samples of shelter cats were collected during the second wave of human COVID-19 infections in The Netherlands. Seroprevalence was determined by using an indirect protein-based ELISA validated for cats, and a Virus Neutralization Test (VNT) as confirmation. To screen for feline SARS-CoV-2 shedding, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs of cats positive for ELISA and/or VNT were analyzed using PCR tests. In 28 Dutch animal shelters, 240 shelter cats were convenience sampled. Two of these cats (0.8%; CI 95%: 0.1-3.0%) were seropositive, as evidenced by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. The seropositive animals tested PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2. Based on the results of this study, it is unlikely that shelter cats could be a reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 or pose a (significant) risk to public health.
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Project description: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.
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Project description:The disease produced by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently one of the primary concerns worldwide. Knowing the zoonotic origin of the disease and that several animal species, including dogs and cats, are susceptible to viral infection, it is critical to assess the relevance of pets in this pandemic. Here, we performed a large-scale study on SARS-CoV-2 serological and viral prevalence in cats and dogs in Spain in order to elucidate their role and susceptibility. Samples from animals in contact with COVID-19 positive people and/or compatible symptoms (n = 492), as well as from random animals (n = 1024), were taken. Despite the large number of animals analyzed, only 12 animals (eight dogs and four cats), which represents 0.79% of the total analyzed animals (n = 1516), were positive for viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in which viral isolation was possible in four animals. We detected neutralizing antibodies in 34 animals, four of them were also positive for PCR. This study evidences that pets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection in natural conditions but at a low level, as evidenced by the low percentage of positive animals detected, being infected humans the main source of infection. However, the inclusion of animals in the surveillance of COVID-19 is still recommended.
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Project description:BackgroundLittle is known about the epidemic status of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in cats in Japan due to insufficiently reliable seroepidemiological analysis methods that are easy to use in cats.ResultsWe developed a protein-A/G-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in cats. The assay was standardized using positive rabbit antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The ELISA results were consistent with those of a conventional anti-feline-immunoglobulin-G (IgG)-based ELISA. To test the protein-A/G-based ELISA, we collected blood samples from 1,969 cats that had been taken to veterinary clinics in Japan from June to July 2020 and determined the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Nine cats were found to have SARS-CoV-2 S1-specific IgG, of which 4 had recombinant receptor-binding domain-specific IgG. Of those 9 samples, one showed neutralizing activity. Based on these findings, we estimated that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in cats in Japan was 0.05% (1/1,969 samples). This prevalence was consistent with the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in humans in Japan according to research conducted at that time.ConclusionsProtein-A/G-based ELISA has the potential to be a standardized method for measuring anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in cats. The infection status of SARS-CoV-2 in cats in Japan might be linked to that in humans.
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Project description:It has long been known that coronaviruses cause various infectious diseases in animals. Although SARS-CoV-2 is genetically related to viruses isolated from Rhinolophus bats, the exact origin, mode of transmission, and how the human species has become the epidemiological reservoir of the virus have not yet been established with certainty. Although the main route of transmission is human-to-human, there are considerable numbers of reported cases of infection in animal species, predominantly among pet animals. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in dogs and cats during the COVID-19 pandemic in Šumadija District, Serbia. We used serology to identify household contacts of pet animals with infected pet owners and the degree of association. The study presented in this paper is also the first study of this type in Serbia. The results of a retrospective serosurvey, which was conducted in dogs and cats with different exposure risk factors, were analyzed to find the possible modes of transmission between humans and animals. The relative frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs was 1.45% bounded with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.0007-7.73%, while in cats, it was 5.56% (95% CI: 0.77-4.13%). The relative frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pet owners was 11% (95% CI: 6.25-18.63%). In pets that were in close contact with COVID-19 positive owners, the seropositivity was found to be 9%. Out of a total of five stray dogs and cats tested, seropositivity was observed in two animals. Detected SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets shows that these animals are susceptible to infection and that the most common means of virus transmission to pets is through contact with diseased owners. However, the presence of infection in stray dogs and cats is not clear and needs further research.
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Project description:Stray cats can host (zoonotic) viral pathogens and act as a source of infection for domestic cats or humans. In this cross-sectional (sero)prevalence study, sera from 580 stray cats living in 56 different cat groups in rural areas in The Netherlands were collected from October 2020 to July 2022. These were used to investigate the prevalence of the cat-specific feline leukemia virus (FeLV, n = 580), the seroprevalence of the cat-specific feline viruses feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, n = 580) and feline coronavirus (FCoV, n = 407), and the zoonotic virus severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, n = 407) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). ELISA-positive results were confirmed using Western blot (FIV) or pseudovirus neutralization test (SARS-CoV-2). The FIV seroprevalence was 5.0% (95% CI (Confidence Interval) 3.4-7.1) and ranged from 0-19.0% among groups. FIV-specific antibodies were more often detected in male cats, cats ≥ 3 years and cats with reported health problems. No FeLV-positive cats were found (95% CI 0.0-0.6). The FCoV seroprevalence was 33.7% (95% CI 29.1-38.5) and ranged from 4.7-85.7% among groups. FCoV-specific antibodies were more often detected in cats ≥ 3 years, cats with reported health problems and cats living in industrial areas or countryside residences compared to cats living at holiday parks or campsites. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies against the subunit 1 (S1) and receptor binding domain (RBD) protein were detected in 2.7% (95% CI 1.4-4.8) of stray cats, but sera were negative in the pseudovirus neutralization test and therefore were considered SARS-CoV-2 suspected. Our findings suggest that rural stray cats in The Netherlands can be a source of FIV and FCoV, indicating a potential risk for transmission to other cats, while the risk for FeLV is low. However, suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections in these cats were uncommon. We found no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 cat-to-cat spread in the studied stray cat groups and consider the likelihood of spillover to humans as low.
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