Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
SARS-CoV-2 antibodies found in dogs and cats in Sarawak Malaysia
By Tan, Cheng Siang et al.·Published in Virology journal·2023·Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serosurveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Plain-English summary
A study in Sarawak, Malaysia, found that nearly a quarter of tested dogs and cats had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Specifically, 24.5% of dogs and 24.2% of cats showed signs of previous exposure to the virus. This suggests that pets can be affected by the virus, likely through contact with infected humans. Pet owners are advised to keep their distance from pets if they are feeling unwell and to monitor their pets for any signs of illness.
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Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic betacoronavirus that was first reported at the dawn of 2019 in Wuhan, China and has since spread globally, causing an ongoing pandemic. Anthroponotic transmission was reported early, with confirmed infections reported in 26 species to date, including dogs and cats. However, there is a paucity of reports on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to companion animals, and thus, we aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats in Sarawak, Malaysia. From August 2022 to 2023, we screened plasma samples of 172 companion animals in Sarawak, Malaysia, using a species-independent surrogate virus neutralization test. Our findings revealed the presence of neutralizing antibodies of SARS-CoV-2 in 24.5% (27/110) of dogs and 24.2% (15/62) of cats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals in Malaysia. Our findings emphasize the need for pet owners to distance themselves from their pets when unwell, and a strategy must be in place to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals to assess the potential impact of the virus on companion animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37550752/