RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 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
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2020.12.08.416339
DO 10.1101/2020.12.08.416339
A1 Hamer, Sarah A.
A1 Pauvolid-Corrêa, Alex
A1 Zecca, Italo B.
A1 Davila, Edward
A1 Auckland, Lisa D.
A1 Roundy, Christopher M.
A1 Tang, Wendy
A1 Torchetti, Mia
A1 Killian, Mary Lea
A1 Jenkins-Moore, Melinda
A1 Mozingo, Katie
A1 Akpalu, Yao
A1 Ghai, Ria R.
A1 Spengler, Jessica R.
A1 Behravesh, Casey Barton
A1 Fischer, Rebecca S. B.
A1 Hamer, Gabriel L.
YR 2020
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/12/08/2020.12.08.416339.abstract
AB 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.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.