Title:
Natural SARS-CoV-2 infections, including virus isolation, among serially tested cats and dogs in households with confirmed human COVID-19 cases in Texas, USA
Author:
Sarah A. Hamer, Alex Pauvolid-Corrêa, Italo B. Zecca, Edward Davila, Lisa D. Auckland, Christopher M. Roundy, Wendy Tang, Mia Torchetti, Mary Lea Killian, Melinda Jenkins-Moore, Katie Mozingo, Yao Akpalu, Ria R. Ghai, Jessica R. Spengler, Casey Barton Behravesh, Rebecca S. B. Fischer, Gabriel L. Hamer
Published:
bioRxiv, 8 December 2020
[Keep in mind that this article is a preprint and has not been certified by review.]
Abstract:
The natural infections and epidemiological roles of household pets in SARS-CoV-2 transmission are not understood. We conducted a longitudinal study of dogs and cats living with at least one SARS-CoV-2 infected human in Texas and found 47.1% of 17 cats and 15.3% of 59 dogs from 25.6% of 39 households were positive for SARS-CoV-2 via RT-PCR and genome sequencing or neutralizing antibodies. Virus was isolated from one cat. The majority (82.4%) of infected pets were asymptomatic. Re-sampling of one infected cat showed persistence of viral RNA at least 32 d-post human diagnosis (25 d-post initial test). Across 15 antibody-positive animals, titers increased (33.3%), decreased (33.3%) or were stable (33.3%) over time. A One Health approach is informative for prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.