Nature: Infection of dogs with SARS-CoV-2

[sharon sanders]

• Article
• Published: 14 May 2020

This is an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. Nature Research are providing this early version of the manuscript as a service to our authors and readers. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting and a proof review before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.


Infection of dogs with SARS-CoV-2

• Thomas H. C. Sit,
• Christopher J. Brackman,
• Sin Ming Ip,
• Karina W. S. Tam,
• Pierra Y. T. Law,
• Esther M. W. To,
• Veronica Y. T. Yu,
• Leslie D. Sims,
• Dominic N. C. Tsang,
• Daniel K. W. Chu,
• Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera,
• Leo L. M. Poon &
• Malik Peiris

Nature (2020)Cite this article

• 20 Altmetric
• Metricsdetails

Abstract


SARS-CoV-2 emerged in Wuhan in December 2019 and caused the pandemic respiratory disease, COVID-19[SUP]1,2[/SUP]. In 2003, the closely related SARS-CoV had been detected in domestic cats and a dog[SUP]3[/SUP]. However, little is known about the susceptibility of domestic pet mammals to SARS-CoV-2. Two out of fifteen dogs from households with confirmed human cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong SAR were found to be infected using quantitative RT–PCR, serology, sequencing the viral genome, and in one dog, virus isolation. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in a 17-year-old neutered male Pomeranian from five nasal swabs collected over a 13-day period. A 2.5-year-old male German Shepherd dog had SARS CoV-2 RNA on two occasions and virus was isolated from nasal and oral swabs. Both dogs had antibody responses detected using plaque reduction neutralization assays. Viral genetic sequences of viruses from the two dogs were identical to the virus detected in the respective human cases. The animals remained asymptomatic during quarantine. The evidence suggests that these are instances of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2. It is unclear whether infected dogs can transmit the virus to other animals or back to humans.

Author information

Affiliations

1. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
   • Thomas H. C. Sit
   • , Christopher J. Brackman
   • , Sin Ming Ip
   • , Karina W. S. Tam
   • , Pierra Y. T. Law
   • , Esther M. W. To
   • & Veronica Y. T. Yu
2. Asia Pacific Veterinary Information Services, Queensland, Australia
   • Leslie D. Sims
3. Public Health Laboratory Centre, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
   • Dominic N. C. Tsang
4. School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
   • Daniel K. W. Chu
   • , Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera
   • , Leo L. M. Poon
   • & Malik Peiris
5. HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
   • Malik Peiris

Corresponding author


Correspondence to Malik Peiris.


https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2334-5