OmniVira

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant of concern detected in a pet dog and cat after exposure to a person with COVID-19, USA.

Sarah A Hamer1 Ria R Ghai2 Italo B Zecca1 Lisa D Auckland1 Christopher M Roundy3 Edward Davila1 Rachel E Busselman1 Wendy Tang3 Alex Pauvolid-Corrêa1,4 Mary Lea Killian5 Melinda Jenkins-Moore5 Mia Kim Torchetti5 Suelee Robbe Austerman5 Ailam Lim6 Yao Akpalu7 Rebecca S B Fischer8 Casey Barton Behravesh2 Gabriel L Hamer3
Affiliations 8 institutions
  1. College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
  2. National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
  3. Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University and AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, USA.
  4. Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, SARS-CoV-2 National Reference Laboratory and Regional Reference Laboratory in the Americas (PAHO/WHO), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  5. National Veterinary Services Laboratories, USDA APHIS VS, Ames, IA, USA.
  6. Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
  7. Brazos County Health Department, Bryan, TX, USA.
  8. School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
PMID33955193 DOI10.1111/tbed.14122 Year2022 Journal Transboundary and emerging diseases Transbound Emerg Dis Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

As part of a longitudinal household transmission study of pets living with persons with COVID-19 in Texas, two pets were confirmed to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant of concern (VOC). The pets were a dog and a cat from the same household, sampled two days after their owner tested positive for COVID-19. The oral, nasal and fur swabs for both pets tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by qRT-PCR and consensus whole-genome sequences from the dog and cat were 100% identical and matched the B.1.1.7 VOC. Virus was isolated from the cat's nasal swab. One month after initial detection of infection, the pets were re-tested twice at which time only the fur swabs (both pets) and oral swab (dog only) remained positive, and neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 were present in both animals. Sneezing by both pets was noted by the owner in the weeks between initial and follow-up testing. This study documents the first detection of B.1.1.7. in companion animals in the United States, and the first genome recovery and isolation of B.1.1.7 variant of concern globally in any animal.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
cat 22 COVID-19 467 dog 19 one health 98 SARS-CoV-2 550 spillback 11 variant of concern 5 Cat Diseases 67 COVID-19 425 Dog Diseases 65 Animals 1948 Cats 120 Dogs 176 Humans 1440 SARS-CoV-2 453 Texas 14 SARS-CoV-2 variants 86

Evidence records

5 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
4 records · 3 evidence types
Evidence type Virus Isolation
1 records
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE4757 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant RNA was detected by qRT-PCR in oral, nasal, and fur swabs from a dog and a cat living with a COVID-19-positive owner in Texas, USA.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

As part of a longitudinal household transmission study of pets living with persons with COVID-19 in Texas, two pets were confirmed to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant of concern (VOC). The oral, nasal and fur swabs for both pets tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by qRT-PCR and consensus whole-genome sequences from the dog and cat were 100% identical and matched the B.1.1.7 VOC.

Method
qRT-PCR | whole-genome sequencing
Sample type
oral swab | nasal swab | fur swab
Geographic raw
Texas | USA
Country inferred
USA
Evidence type Serological Evidence
2 records
OVE4759 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in a pet dog one month after initial infection.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

One month after initial detection of infection, the pets were re-tested twice at which time only the fur swabs (both pets) and oral swab (dog only) remained positive, and neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 were present in both animals.

Method
neutralization assay
Sample type
serum
OVE4760 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in a pet cat one month after initial infection.

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

One month after initial detection of infection, the pets were re-tested twice at which time only the fur swabs (both pets) and oral swab (dog only) remained positive, and neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 were present in both animals.

Method
neutralization assay
Sample type
serum
Transmission Evidence
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Cross-species Transmission
1 records
OVE4761 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

A pet dog and cat in Texas were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant after exposure to their COVID-19–positive owner, indicating human-to-animal spillback.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host domestic cat Felis catus Natural host human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

As part of a longitudinal household transmission study of pets living with persons with COVID-19 in Texas, two pets were confirmed to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant of concern (VOC). The pets were a dog and a cat from the same household, sampled two days after their owner tested positive for COVID-19.

Method
qRT-PCR | whole-genome sequencing | virus isolation
Study design
longitudinal household transmission study
Transmission direction
human-to-animal
Geographic raw
Texas | USA