Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two asymptomatic cats tested positive for COVID-19 in Northeastern
By Ivyson da Silva Epifanio et al.·Published in Veterinary World·2021·Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil., NZ·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: First report of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 detection in two asymptomatic cats in the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two asymptomatic cats in Brazil tested positive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) after their owners were diagnosed with COVID-19. The cats showed no symptoms, but their positive test results suggest that they may have contracted the virus from close contact with their owners. This highlights the importance of pet owners following safety guidelines to prevent spreading the virus to their pets, especially during self-isolation. While the study involved a small number of pets, it raises awareness about the potential for cats to carry the virus in households with infected humans.
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Abstract
Background and Aim: Despite worldwide case reports, including Brazilian cases, no frequency study on infection of pets by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been conducted to date in Brazil. Accordingly, the present study was aimed to assess dogs and cats belonging to positive owners in Recife, Northeastern Brazil. Materials and Methods: This was a longitudinal prospective study on dogs and cats in the city of Recife whose owners were in isolation at home due to a confirmed laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 through reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Oral and rectal swabs from the pets were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific RNA by means of RT-qPCR. Results: Among the pets tested, 0/16 dogs and 2/15 cats were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, the two positive cats were owned by two unrelated asymptomatic veterinary students, which, therefore, post a warning to veterinarians worldwide. Conclusion: The findings herein indicate that cats may act as sentinels for human cases, particularly sharing households with asymptomatic human cases. Although with small sampling and convenient recruiting, the presence of infected cats by SARS-CoV-2 was most likely due to close cat-human contact with positive owners, posting a human-animal health threat when pets share the same bed and interact with owners without protection, particularly during owner self-isolation. Thus, infected owners should follow the same human preventive guidelines with their pets to avoid spreading infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.2839-2842