First reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets in São Paulo, Brazil-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

First reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets in São Paulo, Brazil

Published:2022-11-16 Issue: Volume: Page:2593-2596
ISSN:2231-0916
Container-title:Veterinary World
language:en
Short-container-title:Vet World

Author:

Agopian Rafael G.¹^ORCID,da Luz Suellen C. G.¹^ORCID,Zebral Alexandre G. B.¹^ORCID,de Sousa Giovanna F.¹^ORCID,de Oliveira Igor A. V.¹^ORCID,Lima Letícia S.¹^ORCID,Sechi Marcela A.¹^ORCID,de Oliveira Mayara C.²^ORCID,Rudiniski Valéria F.¹^ORCID,Brandespim Daniel Friguglietti³^ORCID,de Carvalho Otávio V.⁴^ORCID,Pettan-Brewer Christina⁵^ORCID,dos Santos Andrea P.⁶^ORCID,Kmetiuk Louise B.⁶^ORCID,Biondo Alexander Welker⁷^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary College, University of Santo Amaro (UNISA), São Paulo, Brazil.

2. Department of Medicine, University of Santo Amaro (UNISA), São Paulo, Brazil.

3. Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

4. TECSA Animal Laboratories, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

5. Department of Comparative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

6. Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

7. Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

Abstract

Background and Aim: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in humans in 2019. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection is primarily asymptomatic and transitory in companion animals, the role of these animals in the life cycle of the virus remains unclear. This study aimed to survey the first SARS-CoV-2 infection cases in pets, including a dog and three cats in São Paulo, Brazil. Materials and Methods: We invited COVID-19-positive pet owners to participate in the survey and obtained nasal, oropharyngeal, and rectal swab samples from their pets. These samples were placed in vials and subjected to a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the owners answered an epidemiological questionnaire, and the pets underwent clinical examination and monitoring. Results: Out of 49 sampled pets, 3/19 (15.8%) cats and 1/30 (3.3%) dogs tested positive, with wide variations in viral loads. Despite the limitations of size and non-randomized sampling, our results showed that cats are more susceptible than dogs to SARS-CoV-2 infection, presenting a cat: dog ratio of 4.8: 1. Only one cat presented mild and transitory respiratory symptoms. Conclusion: Although SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in pets in the largest South American city and the COVID-19 epicenter at the time, these first detected pet cases displayed either none or mild clinical signs.

Funder

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Publisher

Veterinary World

Subject

General Veterinary

Link

http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.15/November-2022/11.pdf

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