Viruses (Sep 2023)

Pet Animals Were Infected with SARS-CoV-2 from Their Owners Who Developed COVID-19: Case Series Study

  • Yudai Kuroda,
  • Kei Watanabe,
  • Tsukasa Yamamoto,
  • Hiroki Suzuki,
  • Eun-sil Park,
  • Keita Ishijima,
  • Kango Tatemoto,
  • Milagros Virhuez-Mendoza,
  • Yusuke Inoue,
  • Michiko Harada,
  • Ayano Nishino,
  • Tsuyoshi Sekizuka,
  • Makoto Kuroda,
  • Tsuguto Fujimoto,
  • Genki Ishihara,
  • Ryo Horie,
  • Kosuke Kawamoto,
  • Ken Maeda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v15102028
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 10
p. 2028

Abstract

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among pets owned by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has been reported around the world. However, how often the animals are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by their owners is still unclear. We have collected swab samples from COVID-19 patients’ pets and performed real-time RT-PCR to detect the viral genome. In total, 8 of 53 dogs (15.1%) and 5 of 34 cats (14.7%) tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 N gene. The result of a virus neutralization (VN) test also showed VN antibodies in four cats and six dogs. Our results indicate that the virus often passed from infected owners to their pets, which then excreted the virus despite having no or mild clinical signs.

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