OmniVira

Susceptibility and Attenuated Transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in Domestic Cats.

Linlin Bao1,2 Zhiqi Song1,2 Jing Xue1,2 Hong Gao1,2 Jiangning Liu1,2 Jie Wang1,2 Qian Guo2 Binbin Zhao1,2 Yajin Qu1,2 Feifei Qi1,2 Shuran Gong1,2 Mingya Liu1,2 Qi Lv1,2 Dan Li1,2 Yunlin Han1,2 Wenjie Zhao1,2 Shoulong Deng2 Yunpeng Liu2 Zhiguang Xiang2 Bochao Yang2 Wei Deng1,2 Haisheng Yu1,2 Zhe Cong1,2 Qiang Wei1,2 Jianguo Xu3 George F Gao4 Chuan Qin1,2
Affiliations 4 institutions
  1. Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
  2. NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
  3. National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
  4. Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
PMID33605423 DOI10.1093/infdis/jiab104 Year2021 Journal The Journal of infectious diseases J Infect Dis Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

Domestic cats, an important companion animal, can be infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This has aroused concern regarding the ability of domestic cats to spread the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019. We systematically demonstrated the pathogenesis and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in cats. Serial passaging of the virus between cats dramatically attenuated the viral transmissibility, likely owing to variations of the amino acids in the receptor-binding domain sites of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 between humans and cats. These findings provide insight into the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in cats and information for protecting the health of humans and cats.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
cats 133 COVID-19 467 pathogenesis 12 SARS-CoV-2 550 susceptibility 12 transmissibility 13 Amino Acids 14 Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 177 Animals 1948 Cats 120 Cell Line 158 Chlorocebus aethiops 70 COVID-19 425 Female 289 Humans 1440 Male 224 SARS-CoV-2 453 Vero Cells 55

Evidence records

2 total
Experimental Infection
2 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Host Range Experiment
1 records
OVE4541 Host Range Experiment
Key finding

Domestic cats were experimentally infected with SARS-CoV-2, confirming feline susceptibility to this virus.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Experimental system human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Domestic cats, an important companion animal, can be infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Method
virus inoculation | virological monitoring | viral RNA detection | pathogenesis assessment
Sample type
respiratory tissues | nasal swabs | oropharyngeal swabs
Experimental system
in vivo animal infection challenge in domestic cats
Evidence type Experimental Transmission
1 records
OVE4542 Experimental Transmission
Key finding

Serial passaging of SARS-CoV-2 between domestic cats led to attenuated transmissibility under controlled experimental conditions.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Experimental system
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Serial passaging of the virus between cats dramatically attenuated the viral transmissibility.

Method
serial passaging | experimental infection model | assessment of transmissibility
Experimental system
serial passage cat-to-cat transmission model