SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom

Shirley L. Smith; Enya Anderson; Cintia Cansado-Utrilla; Tessa Prince; Sean Farrell; Bethaney Brant; Steven Smyth; Peter-John M. Noble; Gina L. Pinchbeck; Nikki Marshall; Larry Roberts; Grant Hughes; Alan D. Radford; Ian Patterson

doi:10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011

SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom

Shirley L. Smith
, Enya Anderson
, Cintia Cansado-Utrilla
, Tessa Prince
, Sean Farrell
, Bethaney Brant
, Steven Smyth
, Peter-John M. Noble
, Gina L. Pinchbeck
, Nikki Marshall
, Larry Roberts
, Grant Hughes
, Alan D. Radford
, Ian Patterson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	100011
Journal	Current Research in Virological Science
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011
Publication status	Published - 5 Aug 2021

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Access to Document

10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011Licence: CC BY

SARS-CoV-2-neutralising-antibodies-in-dogs-and 2021 Current-Research-in-Viro GHughes Sept 21Final published version, 608 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Smith, S. L., Anderson, E., Cansado-Utrilla, C., Prince, T., Farrell, S., Brant, B., Smyth, S., Noble, P.-J. M., Pinchbeck, G. L., Marshall, N., Roberts, L., Hughes, G., Radford, A. D., & Patterson, I. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom. Current Research in Virological Science, 100011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011

@article{3a2684c9a3ca4dc5b1c170e04f48b71a,

title = "SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Smith, \{Shirley L.\} and Enya Anderson and Cintia Cansado-Utrilla and Tessa Prince and Sean Farrell and Bethaney Brant and Steven Smyth and Noble, \{Peter-John M.\} and Pinchbeck, \{Gina L.\} and Nikki Marshall and Larry Roberts and Grant Hughes and Radford, \{Alan D.\} and Ian Patterson",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011",

language = "English",

pages = "100011",

journal = "Current Research in Virological Science",

issn = "2666-478X",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

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 -

SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this