TY - JOUR
T1 - SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom
AU - Smith, Shirley L.
AU - Anderson, Enya
AU - Cansado-Utrilla, Cintia
AU - Prince, Tessa
AU - Farrell, Sean
AU - Brant, Bethaney
AU - Smyth, Steven
AU - Noble, Peter-John M.
AU - Pinchbeck, Gina L.
AU - Marshall, Nikki
AU - Roberts, Larry
AU - Hughes, Grant
AU - Radford, Alan D.
AU - Patterson, Ian
PY - 2021/8/5
Y1 - 2021/8/5
N2 - Companion animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and sporadic cases of pet infections have occurred in the United Kingdom. Here we present the first large-scale serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the UK. Results are reported for 688 sera (454 canine, 234 feline) collected by a large veterinary diagnostic laboratory for routine haematology during three time periods; pre-COVID-19 (January 2020), during the first wave of UK human infections (April–May 2020) and during the second wave of UK human infections (September 2020–February 2021). Both pre-COVID-19 sera and those from the first wave tested negative. However, in sera collected during the second wave, 1.4% (n = 4) of dogs and 2.2% (n = 2) of cats tested positive for neutralising antibodies. The low numbers of animals testing positive suggests pet animals are unlikely to be a major reservoir for human infection in the UK. However, continued surveillance of in-contact susceptible animals should be performed as part of ongoing population health surveillance initiatives.
AB - Companion animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and sporadic cases of pet infections have occurred in the United Kingdom. Here we present the first large-scale serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the UK. Results are reported for 688 sera (454 canine, 234 feline) collected by a large veterinary diagnostic laboratory for routine haematology during three time periods; pre-COVID-19 (January 2020), during the first wave of UK human infections (April–May 2020) and during the second wave of UK human infections (September 2020–February 2021). Both pre-COVID-19 sera and those from the first wave tested negative. However, in sera collected during the second wave, 1.4% (n = 4) of dogs and 2.2% (n = 2) of cats tested positive for neutralising antibodies. The low numbers of animals testing positive suggests pet animals are unlikely to be a major reservoir for human infection in the UK. However, continued surveillance of in-contact susceptible animals should be performed as part of ongoing population health surveillance initiatives.
U2 - 10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011
DO - 10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011
M3 - Article
SN - 2666-478X
SP - 100011
JO - Current Research in Virological Science
JF - Current Research in Virological Science
ER -
