Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant (B.1.617.2) in Domestic Dogs and Zoo Tigers in England and Jersey during 2021.
- Journal:
- Viruses
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Seekings, Amanda H et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Virology · United Kingdom
Plain-English summary
During the pandemic, there were cases where the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was found in pets, including dogs and tigers, in England and Jersey. Between 2020 and 2021, tests confirmed that one domestic cat, three domestic dogs, and three Amur tigers from a zoo were infected, all of which had known human contacts who were also positive for the virus. The cat had an earlier version of the virus, while the dogs and tigers were infected with the Delta variant. This situation highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of the virus in pets, especially those that interact closely with people, to better understand how the virus spreads between humans and animals. Overall, the findings show that pets can contract the virus from humans, but the full impact of this transmission is still unclear.
Abstract
Reverse zoonotic transmission events of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been described since the start of the pandemic, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) designated the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in animals a reportable disease. Eighteen domestic and zoo animals in Great Britain and Jersey were tested by APHA for SARS-CoV-2 during 2020-2023. One domestic cat (), three domestic dogs (), and three Amur tigers () from a zoo were confirmed positive during 2020-2021 and reported to the WOAH. All seven positive animals were linked with known SARS-CoV-2 positive human contacts. Characterisation of the SARS-CoV-2 variants by genome sequencing indicated that the cat was infected with an early SARS-CoV-2 lineage. The three dogs and three tigers were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern (B.1.617.2). The role of non-human species in the onward transmission and emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 remain poorly defined. Continued surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in relevant domestic and captive animal species with high levels of human contact is important to monitor transmission at the human-animal interface and to assess their role as potential animal reservoirs.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38675958/