SARS-CoV-2 Infektion bei Hunden und Katzen

SARS-CoV-2, a highly contagious new coronavirus, is the cause of COVID-19, a partly fatal disease in humans. However, natural SARS-CoV-2 infections have also been found in felids, mustelids and dogs. Experimental studies have shown virus shedding and transmission among domestic cats. These facts indicate that animals can become virus reservoirs. So far, there is no data on the prevalence and relevance of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals in Europe. We address this shortcoming by investigating samples collected during the pandemic in veterinary clinics in Northern Italy, Bavaria and Switzerland for viral RNA, seroconversion, neutralization and virus phylodynamics, and by examining virus positive and other animals diagnosed with pneumonia subjected to a post mortem examination. Our results will shed light on the relevance of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals and advice policy makers involved in risk management and disease control at the animal-human interface.