OmniVira

SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Household Domestic Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo).

Jacobo Giner1,2 Sergio Villanueva-Saz3,4,5 Ana Pilar Tobajas5,6 María Dolores Pérez5,6 Ana González2 Maite Verde2,3,5 Andrés Yzuel3 Ana García-García7 Víctor Taleb7 Erandi Lira-Navarrete7 Ramón Hurtado-Guerrero7,8,9,10 Julián Pardo8,11,12 Llipsy Santiago11 José Ramón Paño13 Héctor Ruíz2 Delia Lacasta2,5 Antonio Fernández2,3,5
Affiliations 13 institutions
  1. Menescalia Veterinary Clinic, 46020 Valencia, Spain.
  2. Department of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  3. Clinical Immunology Laboratory, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  4. Departament of Pharmacology and Physiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  5. Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  6. Department of Animal Production and Sciences of the Food, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  7. Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  8. Aragon I+D Foundation (ARAID), 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
  9. Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzada (LMA), Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
  10. Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark.
  11. Aragon Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  12. Department of Microbiology, Pediatrics, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
  13. Infectious Disease Department, University Hospital Lozano Blesa, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
PMID33801548 DOI10.3390/ani11030667 Year2021 Journal Animals : an open access journal from MDPI Animals (Basel) Languageeng Statusepublish

Abstract

Animal infections with SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in different countries and several animal species have been proven to be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 both naturally and by experimental infection. Moreover, infections under natural conditions in more than 20 mink farms have been reported where humans could have been the source of infection for minks. However, little information is available about the susceptibility of pet animals under natural conditions and currently there is no SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological assessment occurrence in household ferrets. In this study, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was evaluated in serum samples obtained from 127 household ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in the Province of Valencia (Spain). Two ferrets tested positive to SARS-CoV-2 (1.57%) by in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on receptor binding domain (RBD) of Spike antigen. Furthermore, anti-RBD SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persisted at detectable levels in a seropositive SARS-CoV-2 domestic ferret beyond 129 days since the first time antibodies were detected. This study reports for the first time the evidence of household pet ferrets exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in Spain to date.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 5 ELISA 28 household ferrets 1 SARS-CoV-2 550 serology 50

Evidence records

2 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
2 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Serological Evidence
2 records
OVE4669 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Two household ferrets were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 by in-house ELISA targeting the receptor-binding domain of the Spike antigen.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic ferret Mustela putorius furo Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Two ferrets tested positive to SARS-CoV-2 (1.57%) by in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on receptor binding domain (RBD) of Spike antigen.

Method
in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on RBD of Spike antigen
Sample type
serum samples
OVE4670 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Anti-RBD SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persisted for more than 129 days in a seropositive domestic ferret.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic ferret Mustela putorius furo Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Furthermore, anti-RBD SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persisted at detectable levels in a seropositive SARS-CoV-2 domestic ferret beyond 129 days since the first time antibodies were detected.

Method
anti-RBD antibody ELISA
Sample type
serum samples