First Detection and Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 Lambda (C.37) Variant in Symptomatic Domestic Cats in Lima, Peru

Francesca Schiaffino; Cusi Ferradas; Luis M Jara; Guillermo Salvatierra; Alejandra Dávila-Barclay; Camila Sanchez-Carrion; Alexandra Ulloa; Lucero Mascaro; Monica J Pajuelo; Luis Guevara Sarmiento; Manolo Fernandez; Mirko Zimic

doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.737350

First Detection and Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 Lambda (C.37) Variant in Symptomatic Domestic Cats in Lima, Peru

Front Vet Sci. 2021 Sep 17:8:737350. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.737350. eCollection 2021.

Affiliations

¹ Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
² Unidad de Investigación en Enfermedades Emergentes y Cambio Climático (Emerge), Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
³ Clínica Veterinaria Gatuario, Lima, Peru.
⁴ Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
⁵ Farmacologicos Veterinarios (FARVET), Chincha, Peru.
⁶ Laboratorio de Bioinformatica, Biologia Molecular y Desarrollos Tecnológicos, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.

Abstract

The role of domestic cats in the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 remains poorly characterized, especially in epidemiologic contexts of countries with high viral transmission. Here, we report the first evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant of interest in symptomatic domestic cats whose owners were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Lima, Peru, providing evidence that transmission of this new variant in domestic cats is occurring. More epidemiological studies are required to further characterize the role of domestic animals in the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; felis catus; one health; surveillance.