Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Asymptomatic dog in Spain found with COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant
By Barroso-Arévalo, Sandra et al.·Published in Viruses·2021·Animal Health Department, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First Detection of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Variant of Concern in an Asymptomatic Dog in Spain.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in Spain tested positive for the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, even though it showed no symptoms. The dog had high levels of the virus in its nasal and rectal swabs, indicating it was shedding the virus. This case highlights that while dogs are generally less susceptible to COVID-19, they can still carry and transmit certain variants, especially if their owners are infected. The dog did not require treatment since it was asymptomatic, but this finding underscores the need for monitoring pets in households with COVID-19 cases.
People also search for: dog COVID-19 symptoms · can dogs get COVID-19 · B.1.1.7 variant in pets
Abstract
Natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets has been widely documented during the last year. Although the majority of reports suggested that dogs' susceptibility to the infection is low, little is known about viral pathogenicity and transmissibility in the case of variants of concern, such as B.1.1.7 in this species. Here, as part of a large-scale study on SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in pets in Spain, we have detected the B.1.1.7 variant of concern (VOC) in a dog whose owners were infected with SARS-CoV-2. The animal did not present any symptoms, but viral loads were high in the nasal and rectal swabs. In addition, viral isolation was possible from both swabs, demonstrating that the dog was shedding infectious virus. Seroconversion occurred 23 days after the first sampling. This study documents the first detection of B.1.1.7 VOC in a dog in Spain and emphasizes the importance of performing active surveillance and genomic investigation on infected animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34372585/