COVID-19 restrictions limit the circulation of H3N2 canine influenza virus in China

Abstract

Canine health is consistently affected by the circulation of the H3N2 strain of canine influenza virus (CIV). Prior research has indicated that the isolation rate of H3N2 CIVs in dogs has gradually increased in China, and these viruses have progressively adapted to humans over the course of their evolution within canine hosts, posing a significant public health threat. However, the key factors influencing the spread of CIVs remain elusive. From January 2020 to December 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, strict epidemic prevention policies were implemented in China. Thus, this measure provides an ideal model for studying factors influencing the prevalence of CIVs. In this study, we continuously monitored the prevalence of CIVs in China before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that the pathogen detection rate and seropositivity rate of domestic CIVs significantly declined after the implementation of epidemic control measures. However, after restrictions on human movement were lifted in 2023, the circulation of CIVs gradually increased. Our results demonstrate that restricting human activity directly impacts the epidemic caused by CIVs and provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of control measures during outbreaks of zoonotic diseases in human companion animals.