Evidence of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in cats and dogs from households in Italy

E. I. Patterson, G. Elia, A. Grassi, A. Giordano, C. Desario, M. Medardo, S. L. Smith, E. R. Anderson, T. Prince, G. T. Patterson, E. Lorusso, M. S. Lucente, G. Lanave, S. Lauzi, U. Bonfanti, A. Stranieri, V. Martella, F. Solari Basano, V. R. Barrs, A. D. Radford, U. Agrimi, G. L. Hughes, S. Paltrinieri and N. Decaro ()
Additional contact information
E. I. Patterson: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place
G. Elia: University of Bari Aldo Moro
A. Grassi: I-VET srl, Laboratorio di Analisi Veterinarie, Via Ettore Majorana
A. Giordano: Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Milan
C. Desario: University of Bari Aldo Moro
M. Medardo: La Vallonèa Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
S. L. Smith: University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus
E. R. Anderson: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place
T. Prince: University of Liverpool
G. T. Patterson: University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus
E. Lorusso: University of Bari Aldo Moro
M. S. Lucente: University of Bari Aldo Moro
G. Lanave: University of Bari Aldo Moro
S. Lauzi: Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Milan
U. Bonfanti: La Vallonèa Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
A. Stranieri: Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Milan
V. Martella: University of Bari Aldo Moro
F. Solari Basano: Arcoblu s.r.l.
V. R. Barrs: City University’s Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences
A. D. Radford: University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus
U. Agrimi: Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità
G. L. Hughes: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place
S. Paltrinieri: Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Milan
N. Decaro: University of Bari Aldo Moro

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-5

Abstract: Abstract SARS-CoV-2 emerged from animals and is now easily transmitted between people. Sporadic detection of natural cases in animals alongside successful experimental infections of pets, such as cats, ferrets and dogs, raises questions about the susceptibility of animals under natural conditions of pet ownership. Here, we report a large-scale study to assess SARS-CoV-2 infection in 919 companion animals living in northern Italy, sampled at a time of frequent human infection. No animals tested PCR positive. However, 3.3% of dogs and 5.8% of cats had measurable SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers, with dogs from COVID-19 positive households being significantly more likely to test positive than those from COVID-19 negative households. Understanding risk factors associated with this and their potential to infect other species requires urgent investigation.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20097-0

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