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"Investigation on the potential role of pets as animal reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2"

Grant number: unknown

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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19

  • Known Financial Commitments (USD)

    $116,950.86

  • Funder

    BBVA Foundation (Spain)

  • Principal Investigator

    Professor Joaquim Segalés Coma

  • Research Location

    Spain

  • Lead Research Institution

    Animal Health Research Center (CReSA) of the Institute for Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona.

  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A

  • Research Category

    Animal and environmental research and research on diseases vectors

  • Research Subcategory

    Animal source and routes of transmission

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Non-Clinical

  • Clinical Trial Details

    N/A

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Not Applicable

  • Vulnerable Population

    Not applicable

  • Occupations of Interest

    Not applicable

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is considered a zoonotic pathogen that is basically transmitted between humans. However, there are different descriptions that indicate that pets can be exposed to the virus. Furthermore, experimental infections with cats, hamsters, and ferrets have shown that the virus can also be transmitted between animals. In all cases, the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection of pets is virtually unknown and the existing data are based on a few descriptions worldwide. Therefore, it is important to establish whether SARS-CoV-2 can be established in domestic species and to see if they pose a potential risk that could lead to outbreaks in people. The project aims to establish the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets and determine their potential role in the epidemiology of COVID-19 as potential reservoirs.