tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Transbound Emerg Dis
. 2021 Nov 5.
doi: 10.1111/tbed.14383. Online ahead of print.
First cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats in Thailand
Waleemas Jairak[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kamonpan Charoenkul[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ekkapat Chamsai[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kitikhun Udom[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Supassama Chaiyawong[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Napawan Bunpapong[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Supanat Boonyapisitsopa[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Rachod Tantilertcharoen[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Navapon Techakriengkrai[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Sirilak Surachetpong[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ratanaporn Tangwangvivat[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Kamol Suwannakarn[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Alongkorn Amonsin[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in humans since late 2019. Here, we investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats during COVID-19 quarantine at private veterinary hospitals in Thailand. From April to May 2021, we detected SARS-CoV-2 in 3 out of 35 dogs and 1 out of 9 cats from 4 out of 17 households with confirmed COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected from one of the nasal, oral, rectal, and environmental swabs of dog-A (15 years old, mixed breed, male dog), cat-B (1 year old, domestic shorthair, male cat), dog-C (2 years old, mixed breed, female dog), and dog-D (4 years old, Pomeranian, female dog). The animals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA from 4 to 30 days after pet owners were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive. The animals consecutively tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA for 4 to 10 days. One dog (dog-A) showed mild clinical signs, while the other dogs and a cat remained asymptomatic during quarantine at the hospitals. SARS-CoV-2 specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in both the dogs and cat by surrogate virus neutralization tests. Phylogenetic and genomic mutation analyses of whole genome sequences of three SARS-CoV-2 strains from the dogs and cat revealed SARS-CoV-2 of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7 lineage). Our findings are suggestive of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19-positive households and contamination of viral RNA in the environment. Public awareness of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pet dogs and cats in close contact with COVID-19 patients should be raised. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cat; Dog; Infection; SARS-CoV-2; Thailand.
. 2021 Nov 5.
doi: 10.1111/tbed.14383. Online ahead of print.
First cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats in Thailand
Waleemas Jairak[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kamonpan Charoenkul[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ekkapat Chamsai[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kitikhun Udom[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Supassama Chaiyawong[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Napawan Bunpapong[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Supanat Boonyapisitsopa[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Rachod Tantilertcharoen[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Navapon Techakriengkrai[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Sirilak Surachetpong[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ratanaporn Tangwangvivat[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Kamol Suwannakarn[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Alongkorn Amonsin[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34739748
- DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14383
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in humans since late 2019. Here, we investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats during COVID-19 quarantine at private veterinary hospitals in Thailand. From April to May 2021, we detected SARS-CoV-2 in 3 out of 35 dogs and 1 out of 9 cats from 4 out of 17 households with confirmed COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected from one of the nasal, oral, rectal, and environmental swabs of dog-A (15 years old, mixed breed, male dog), cat-B (1 year old, domestic shorthair, male cat), dog-C (2 years old, mixed breed, female dog), and dog-D (4 years old, Pomeranian, female dog). The animals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA from 4 to 30 days after pet owners were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive. The animals consecutively tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA for 4 to 10 days. One dog (dog-A) showed mild clinical signs, while the other dogs and a cat remained asymptomatic during quarantine at the hospitals. SARS-CoV-2 specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in both the dogs and cat by surrogate virus neutralization tests. Phylogenetic and genomic mutation analyses of whole genome sequences of three SARS-CoV-2 strains from the dogs and cat revealed SARS-CoV-2 of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7 lineage). Our findings are suggestive of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19-positive households and contamination of viral RNA in the environment. Public awareness of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pet dogs and cats in close contact with COVID-19 patients should be raised. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cat; Dog; Infection; SARS-CoV-2; Thailand.