First Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) Variant of Concern in a Dog with Clinical Signs in Spain

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 13; no. 12; p. 2526
• Main Authors: Fernández-Bastit, Leira, Rodon, Jordi, Pradenas, Edwards, Marfil, Silvia, Trinité, Benjamin, Parera, Mariona, Roca, Núria, Pou, Anna, Cantero, Guillermo, Lorca-Oró, Cristina, Carrillo, Jorge, Izquierdo-Useros, Nuria, Clotet, Bonaventura, Noguera-Julián, Marc, Blanco, Julià, Vergara-Alert, Júlia, Segalés, Joaquim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 16.12.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Antibodies, Viral - blood; B.1.617.2; Case Report; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - transmission; COVID-19 - veterinary; COVID-19 - virology; Delta variant; Disease transmission; dog; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - transmission; Dog Diseases - virology; Dogs; Female; Genome, Viral - genetics; Genomes; Infections; Infectious diseases; Pandemics; Pets - virology; Plasma; Protein expression; Proteins; RNA polymerase; Sampling; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - immunology; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; variants of concern; Viral Zoonoses - diagnosis; Viral Zoonoses - transmission; Viral Zoonoses - virology; Virulence; Whole genome sequencing; United States > US; Germany; Spain; COVID-19; pets; reverse zoonosis; SARS-CoV-2; transmission; variants of concern; Delta variant; B.1.617.2; dog
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v13122526

Several cases of naturally infected dogs with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been reported despite the apparently low susceptibility of this species. Here, we document the first reported case of infection caused by the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC) in a dog in Spain that lived with several household members suffering from Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The animal displayed mild digestive and respiratory clinical signs and had a low viral load in the oropharyngeal swab collected at the first sampling. Whole-genome sequencing indicated infection with the Delta variant, coinciding with the predominant variant during the fifth pandemic wave in Spain. The dog seroconverted, as detected 21 days after the first sampling, and developed neutralizing antibodies that cross-neutralized different SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study further emphasizes the importance of studying the susceptibility of animal species to different VOCs and their potential role as reservoirs in the context of COVID-19.