SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom

Shirley L Smith; Enyia R Anderson; Cintia Cansado-Utrilla; Tessa Prince; Sean Farrell; Bethaney Brant; Steven Smyth; Peter-John M Noble; Gina L Pinchbeck; Nikki Marshall; Larry Roberts; Grant L Hughes; Alan D Radford; Edward I Patterson

doi:10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011

SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom

Curr Res Virol Sci. 2021:2:100011. doi: 10.1016/j.crviro.2021.100011. Epub 2021 Aug 5.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK.
² Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.
³ Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7BE, UK.
⁴ NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Liverpool, L69 7BE, UK.
⁵ Idexx Laboratories Ltd, Grange House, Sandbeck Way, Wetherby, LS22 7DN, UK.
⁶ Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada.

Abstract

Companion animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and sporadic cases of pet infections have occurred in the United Kingdom. Here we present the first large-scale serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the UK. Results are reported for 688 sera (454 canine, 234 feline) collected by a large veterinary diagnostic laboratory for routine haematology during three time periods; pre-COVID-19 (January 2020), during the first wave of UK human infections (April-May 2020) and during the second wave of UK human infections (September 2020-February 2021). Both pre-COVID-19 sera and those from the first wave tested negative. However, in sera collected during the second wave, 1.4% (n = 4) of dogs and 2.2% (n = 2) of cats tested positive for neutralising antibodies. The low numbers of animals testing positive suggests pet animals are unlikely to be a major reservoir for human infection in the UK. However, continued surveillance of in-contact susceptible animals should be performed as part of ongoing population health surveillance initiatives.

Keywords: Animal disease surveillance; Cats; Dogs; SARS-CoV-2; Serology.