OmniVira

First Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) Variant of Concern in a Dog with Clinical Signs in Spain.

Leira Fernández-Bastit1 Jordi Rodon1 Edwards Pradenas2 Silvia Marfil2 Benjamin Trinité2 Mariona Parera2 Núria Roca1 Anna Pou1 Guillermo Cantero1 Cristina Lorca-Oró1 Jorge Carrillo2,3 Nuria Izquierdo-Useros2,3 Bonaventura Clotet2,4 Marc Noguera-Julián2,4 Julià Blanco2,3,4 Júlia Vergara-Alert1 Joaquim Segalés5,6
Affiliations 6 institutions
  1. Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
  2. IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain.
  3. IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, 08916 Badalona, Spain.
  4. Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), 08500 Barcelona, Spain.
  5. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de Recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentaries (IRTA), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
  6. Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
PMID34960795 DOI10.3390/v13122526 Year2021 Journal Viruses Languageeng Statusepublish

Abstract

Several cases of naturally infected dogs with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been reported despite the apparently low susceptibility of this species. Here, we document the first reported case of infection caused by the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC) in a dog in Spain that lived with several household members suffering from Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The animal displayed mild digestive and respiratory clinical signs and had a low viral load in the oropharyngeal swab collected at the first sampling. Whole-genome sequencing indicated infection with the Delta variant, coinciding with the predominant variant during the fifth pandemic wave in Spain. The dog seroconverted, as detected 21 days after the first sampling, and developed neutralizing antibodies that cross-neutralized different SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study further emphasizes the importance of studying the susceptibility of animal species to different VOCs and their potential role as reservoirs in the context of COVID-19.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
B.1.617.2 1 COVID-19 467 Delta variant 8 dog 19 pets 31 reverse zoonosis 38 SARS-CoV-2 550 transmission 55 variants of concern 5 Animals 1948 Antibodies, Neutralizing 80 Antibodies, Viral 212 COVID-19 425 Dog Diseases 65 Dogs 176 Female 289 Genome, Viral 317 Pets 25 SARS-CoV-2 453 Viral Zoonoses 65 SARS-CoV-2 variants 86

Evidence records

3 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
2 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE5488 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) Variant of Concern was detected in a dog in Spain through a positive oropharyngeal swab confirmed by whole‑genome sequencing.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host
Location
Spain
Supporting text

Here, we document the first reported case of infection caused by the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC) in a dog in Spain that lived with several household members suffering from Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Whole-genome sequencing indicated infection with the Delta variant, coinciding with the predominant variant during the fifth pandemic wave in Spain.

Method
viral RNA detection | whole‑genome sequencing
Sample type
oropharyngeal swab
Geographic raw
Spain
Country inferred
ESP
Evidence type Serological Evidence
1 records
OVE5489 Serological Evidence
Key finding

A dog in Spain seroconverted 21 days after first sampling, developing neutralizing antibodies that cross-neutralized different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

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

The dog seroconverted, as detected 21 days after the first sampling, and developed neutralizing antibodies that cross-neutralized different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Method
neutralization test
Sample type
serum
Transmission Evidence
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Cross-species Transmission
1 records
OVE5490 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

A dog in Spain was infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant after living with household members suffering from COVID-19, indicating probable human-to-dog spillback transmission.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
dog Canis lupus familiaris Natural host human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Spain
Supporting text

Here, we document the first reported case of infection caused by the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC) in a dog in Spain that lived with several household members suffering from Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Method
whole-genome sequencing | serology | oropharyngeal swab PCR
Study design
case report of natural infection
Transmission direction
human-to-animal
Geographic raw
Spain