OmniVira

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and humoral responses against different variants of concern in domestic pet animals and stray cats from North-Eastern Spain.

Leira Fernández-Bastit1,2 Silvia Marfil3 Edwards Pradenas3 Rosa Valle1,2 Núria Roca1,2 Jordi Rodon1,2 Lola Pailler-García1,2 Benjamin Trinité3 Mariona Parera3 Marc Noguera-Julian3,4,5 Jaume Martorell6 Nuria Izquierdo-Useros3,5,7 Jorge Carrillo3,5,7 Bonaventura Clotet3,4,8 Julià Blanco3,4,5,7 Júlia Vergara-Alert1,2 Joaquim Segalés1,9
Affiliations 9 institutions
  1. Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
  2. IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
  3. IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain.
  4. Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Barcelona, Spain.
  5. Infectious Disease Networking Biomedical Research Center (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain.
  6. Departament de Medicina i Cirugia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
  7. Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
  8. Lluita contra la SIDA Foundation, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
  9. Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
PMID36167932 DOI10.1111/tbed.14714 Year2022 Journal Transboundary and emerging diseases Transbound Emerg Dis Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in humans, is able to infect several domestic, captive and wildlife animal species. Since reverse zoonotic transmission to pets has been demonstrated, it is crucial to determine their role in the epidemiology of the disease to prevent further spillover events and major spread of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we determined the presence of virus and the seroprevalence to SARS-CoV-2, as well as the levels of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against several variants of concern (VOCs) in pets (cats, dogs and ferrets) and stray cats from North-Eastern of Spain. We confirmed that cats and dogs can be infected by different VOCs of SARS-CoV-2 and, together with ferrets, are able to develop nAbs against the ancestral (B.1), Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.315), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (BA.1) variants, with lower titres against the latest in dogs and cats, but not in ferrets. Although the prevalence of active SARS-CoV-2 infection measured as direct viral RNA detection was low (0.3%), presence of nAbs in pets living in COVID-19-positive households was relatively high (close to 25% in cats, 10% in dogs and 40% in ferrets). It is essential to continue monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections in these animals due to their frequent contact with human populations, and we cannot discard the probability of a higher animal susceptibility to new potential SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 5 pets 31 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 2 stray cats 2 variants of concern (VOCs) 1 zoonotic transmission 23 Cat Diseases 67 COVID-19 425 Dog Diseases 65 Animals 1948 Animals, Domestic 35 Antibodies, Neutralizing 80 Cats 120 Dogs 176 Ferrets 79 Humans 1440 SARS-CoV-2 453 Seroepidemiologic Studies 113 Spain 25 SARS-CoV-2 variants 86

Evidence records

4 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
4 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE6399 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in pets (cats, dogs, and ferrets) and stray cats from North-Eastern Spain, with low prevalence (0.3%) of active infection.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
animals Metazoa Natural host domestic cat Felis catus Natural host dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host domestic ferret Mustela putorius furo Natural host
Location
Spain
Supporting text

In the present study, we determined the presence of virus and the seroprevalence to SARS-CoV-2 ... in pets (cats, dogs and ferrets) and stray cats from North-Eastern of Spain. Although the prevalence of active SARS-CoV-2 infection measured as direct viral RNA detection was low (0.3%)

Method
direct viral RNA detection
Sample type
pet samples
Geographic raw
North-Eastern of Spain
Country inferred
ESP
Evidence type Serological Evidence
3 records
OVE6400 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Neutralizing antibodies against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants were detected in cats, dogs, and ferrets from North-Eastern Spain, showing immune exposure with variant-dependent titres.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host domestic ferret Mustela putorius furo Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

We confirmed that cats and dogs can be infected by different VOCs of SARS-CoV-2 and, together with ferrets, are able to develop nAbs against the ancestral (B.1), Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.315), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (BA.1) variants, with lower titres against the latest in dogs and cats, but not in ferrets.

Method
neutralizing antibody detection | serological assay
Sample type
serum
OVE6401 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Pets from COVID-19-positive households in North-Eastern Spain showed notable seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, indicating exposure through human contact.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host domestic ferret Mustela putorius furo Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Presence of nAbs in pets living in COVID-19-positive households was relatively high (close to 25% in cats, 10% in dogs and 40% in ferrets).

Method
neutralizing antibody assay | serological analysis
Sample type
serum
OVE6402 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to domestic pets has been demonstrated in North-Eastern Spain.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
human Homo sapiens Natural host animals Metazoa Natural host
Location
Spain
Supporting text

Since reverse zoonotic transmission to pets has been demonstrated, it is crucial to determine their role in the epidemiology of the disease to prevent further spillover events and major spread of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we determined the presence of virus and the seroprevalence to SARS-CoV-2, as well as the levels of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against several variants of concern (VOCs) in pets (cats, dogs and ferrets) and stray cats from North-Eastern of Spain.

Method
viral RNA detection | seroprevalence assays | neutralizing antibody titration