OmniVira

Detection and Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in a Domestic Cat with Respiratory Signs in Switzerland.

Julia Klaus1 Marina L Meli1 Barbara Willi2 Sarah Nadeau3,4 Christian Beisel3 Tanja Stadler3,4 Eth Sars-CoV-Sequencing Team Herman Egberink5 Shan Zhao5 Hans Lutz1 Barbara Riond1 Nina Rösinger2 Hanspeter Stalder6,7 Sandra Renzullo6,7 Regina Hofmann-Lehmann1
Affiliations 7 institutions
  1. Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
  2. Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
  3. Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
  4. SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
  5. Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  6. Institute for Virology and Immunology IVI, Sensemattstrasse 293, 3147 Mittelhäusern, Switzerland.
  7. Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland.
PMID33802899 DOI10.3390/v13030496 Year2021 Journal Viruses Languageeng Statusepublish

Abstract

Since the emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in late 2019, domestic cats have been demonstrated to be susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) under natural and experimental conditions. As pet cats often live in very close contact with their owners, it is essential to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infections in cats in a One-Health context. This study reports the first SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cat in a COVID-19-affected household in Switzerland. The cat (Cat 1) demonstrated signs of an upper respiratory tract infection, including sneezing, inappetence, and apathy, while the cohabiting cat (Cat 2) remained asymptomatic. Nasal, oral, fecal, fur, and environmental swab samples were collected twice from both cats and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. Both nasal swabs from Cat 1 tested positive. In addition, the first oral swab from Cat 2 and fur and bedding swabs from both cats were RT-qPCR positive. The fecal swabs tested negative. The infection of Cat 1 was confirmed by positive SARS-CoV-2 S1 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody testing and neutralizing activity in a surrogate assay. The viral genome sequence from Cat 1, obtained by next generation sequencing, showed the closest relation to a human sequence from the B.1.1.39 lineage, with one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference. This study demonstrates not only SARS-CoV-2 infection of a cat from a COVID-19-affected household but also contamination of the cats' fur and bed with viral RNA. Our results are important to create awareness that SARS-CoV-2 infected people should observe hygienic measures to avoid infection and contamination of animal cohabitants.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
companion animals 13 contamination 1 COVID-19 467 domestic cat 3 human-to-feline transmission 2 neutralizing activity 2 next generation sequencing 4 One-Health 5 SARS-CoV-2 550 serology 50 Genome, Viral 317 Animals 1948 Cat Diseases 67 Cats 120 COVID-19 425 Feces 113 Male 224 Phylogeny 805 Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide 6 RNA, Viral 193 SARS-CoV-2 453 Switzerland 9

Evidence records

6 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
4 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
3 records
OVE4671 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected in nasal swabs from Cat 1 in Switzerland.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
Switzerland
Supporting text

Nasal, oral, fecal, fur, and environmental swab samples were collected twice from both cats and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. Both nasal swabs from Cat 1 tested positive.

Method
RT-qPCR
Sample type
nasal swabs
Geographic raw
Switzerland
Country inferred
CHE
OVE4672 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected by RT-qPCR in an oral swab from Cat 2 in Switzerland.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
Switzerland
Supporting text

Nasal, oral, fecal, fur, and environmental swab samples were collected twice from both cats and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. In addition, the first oral swab from Cat 2 and fur and bedding swabs from both cats were RT-qPCR positive.

Method
RT-qPCR
Sample type
oral swab
Geographic raw
Switzerland
Country inferred
CHE
OVE4673 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected by RT-qPCR in fur and bedding swabs from both cats in Switzerland.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host
Location
Switzerland
Supporting text

Nasal, oral, fecal, fur, and environmental swab samples were collected twice from both cats and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. In addition, the first oral swab from Cat 2 and fur and bedding swabs from both cats were RT-qPCR positive.

Method
RT-qPCR
Sample type
fur swabs | bedding swabs
Geographic raw
Switzerland
Country inferred
CHE
Evidence type Serological Evidence
1 records
OVE4674 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Cat 1 from a COVID‑19‑affected household in Switzerland showed positive SARS‑CoV‑2 S1 RBD antibodies and neutralizing activity, indicating prior viral exposure.

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

The infection of Cat 1 was confirmed by positive SARS‑CoV‑2 S1 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody testing and neutralizing activity in a surrogate assay.

Method
SARS-CoV-2 S1 RBD antibody test | neutralizing surrogate assay
Sample type
serum (implied)
Transmission Evidence
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Cross-species Transmission
1 records
OVE4676 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 was transmitted from infected humans to a domestic cat living in a COVID-19-affected household in Switzerland.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Natural host human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Switzerland
Supporting text

This study reports the first SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cat in a COVID-19-affected household in Switzerland.

Method
RT-qPCR | serology | neutralization assay | genome sequencing
Study design
case report within household investigation
Transmission direction
human-to-animal
Geographic raw
Switzerland
Genomic Evolution
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Phylogenetic Evolution
1 records
OVE4675 Phylogenetic Evolution
Key finding

The SARS-CoV-2 genome sequenced from a domestic cat in Switzerland was phylogenetically closest to a human B.1.1.39 lineage sequence, differing by only one SNP.

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

The viral genome sequence from Cat 1, obtained by next generation sequencing, showed the closest relation to a human sequence from the B.1.1.39 lineage, with one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference.

Analysis methods
genome sequencing | phylogenetic comparison