Abstract
Understanding the ecological and epidemiological roles of pets in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is critical for animal and human health, identifying household reservoirs, and predicting the potential enzootic maintenance of the virus. We conducted a longitudinal household transmission study of 76 dogs and cats living with at least one SARS-CoV-2-infected human in Texas and found that 17 pets from 25.6% of 39 households met the national case definition for SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals. This includes three out of seventeen (17.6%) cats and one out of fifty-nine (1.7%) dogs that were positive by RT-PCR and sequencing, with the virus successfully isolated from the respiratory swabs of one cat and one dog. Whole-genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 obtained from all four PCR-positive animals were unique variants grouping with genomes circulating among people with COVID-19 in Texas. Re-sampling showed persistence of viral RNA for at least 25 d-post initial test. Additionally, seven out of sixteen (43.8%) cats and seven out of fifty-nine (11.9%) dogs harbored SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies upon initial sampling, with relatively stable or increasing titers over the 2–3 months of follow-up and no evidence of seroreversion. The majority (82.4%) of infected pets were asymptomatic. ‘Reverse zoonotic’ transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected people to animals may occur more frequently than recognized.
Highlights
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an unprecedented challenge to health, the economy, and most aspects of society
In France, one study of 9 cats and 12 dogs owned by people with COVID-19 showed no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 viral
RNA in nasal, oral, and rectal swabs and demonstrated measurable antibody titers on subsequent samples [28]. In another Hong Kong study, 6 out of 50 (12%) cats living with humans with SARS-CoV-2 infection were positive by RT-PCR [29]
Summary
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an unprecedented challenge to health, the economy, and most aspects of society. Studies have established that several mammalian groups, including primates, felids, mustelids, and some species of rodent, lagomorph, and bat, are susceptible to natural or experimental infection [2]. There are two common groups where suspected human-to-animal transmission events have been repeatedly detected: farmed mink and companion animals. Outbreaks have occurred on mink farms in the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Greece, and the United States between April and November 2020. With respect to companion animals, over 10 countries to date have documented natural infections of dogs and cats, often associated with exposure to a person with COVID-19 [4]. The first cases of companion animal infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the United States were two cats in New York that developed respiratory signs after exposure to their owners with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 [5]
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