One-Year Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure in Stray Cats and Kennel Dogs from Northeastern Italy.

ABSTRACT: Dogs and cats are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). During the pandemic, several studies have been performed on owned cats and dogs, whereas limited data are available on the exposure to stray animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the exposure to SARS-CoV-2 of feral cats and kennel dogs in northeastern Italy, through serological and molecular methods. From May 2021 to September 2022, public health veterinary services collected serum, oropharyngeal, and rectal swab samples from 257 free-roaming dogs newly introduced to shelters, and from 389 feral cats examined during the routinely trap-neutered-return programs. The swabs were analyzed for viral RNA through a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR), and sera were tested for

SUBMITTER: Bellinati L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9866628 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature