Absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats and dogs in close contact with a cluster of COVID-19 patients in a veterinary campus

• Published in: One health Vol. 10; p. 100164
• Main Authors: Temmam, Sarah, Barbarino, Alix, Maso, Djérène, Behillil, Sylvie, Enouf, Vincent, Huon, Christèle, Jaraud, Ambre, Chevallier, Lucie, Backovic, Marija, Pérot, Philippe, Verwaerde, Patrick, Tiret, Laurent, van der Werf, Sylvie, Eloit, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-12-2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal biology; Canine; COVID-19 epidemiology; Emerging diseases; Feline; Human health and pathology; Infectious diseases; Life Sciences; LIPS; Luciferase immunoprecipitation system; Outbreak; Research Paper; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Self-isolation; Veterinary medicine and animal Health; Luciferase immunoprecipitation system; Outbreak; LIPS; COVID-19 epidemiology; Self-isolation; Feline; Canine
• ISSN: 2352-7714; 2352-7714
• DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100164

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan, China, in 2019, is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now accepted that the wild fauna, probably bats, constitute the initial reservoir of the virus, but little is known about the role pets can play in the spread of the disease in human communities, knowing the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect some domestic animals. In this cross-sectional study, we tested the antibody response in a cluster of 21 domestic pets (9 cats and 12 dogs) living in close contact with their owners (belonging to a veterinary community of 20 students) in which two students tested positive for COVID-19 and several others (n = 11/18) consecutively showed clinical signs (fever, cough, anosmia, etc.) compatible with COVID-19 infection. Although a few pets presented many clinical signs indicative for a coronavirus infection, no antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detectable in their blood one month after the index case was reported, using an immunoprecipitation assay. These original data can serve a better evaluation of the host range of SARS-CoV-2 in natural environment exposure conditions.