Detection and Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in a Domestic Cat with Respiratory Signs in Switzerland

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 13; no. 3; p. 496
• Main Authors: Klaus, Julia, Meli, Marina L, Willi, Barbara, Nadeau, Sarah, Beisel, Christian, Stadler, Tanja, Eth Sars-CoV-Sequencing Team, Egberink, Herman, Zhao, Shan, Lutz, Hans, Riond, Barbara, Rösinger, Nina, Stalder, Hanspeter, Renzullo, Sandra, Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 17.03.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies; Appetite loss; Bedding; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cat Diseases - virology; Cats; companion animals; Contamination; Coronaviridae; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - veterinary; COVID-19 - virology; Disease transmission; domestic cat; Dyspnea; Emotional behavior; Feces - virology; Genome, Viral; Genomes; Households; Hygiene; Infections; Male; Medical laboratories; Mutation; Next-generation sequencing; Nucleotide sequence; Pandemics; Phylogeny; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Quarantine; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory tract diseases; RNA polymerase; RNA, Viral - genetics; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - classification; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Serology; Serotonin S1 receptors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Single-nucleotide polymorphism; Switzerland; Veterinarians; Switzerland; France; China; Germany; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; human-to-feline transmission; neutralizing activity; next generation sequencing; serology; One-Health; domestic cat; companion animals; contamination
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v13030496

Since the emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in late 2019, domestic cats have been demonstrated to be susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) under natural and experimental conditions. As pet cats often live in very close contact with their owners, it is essential to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infections in cats in a One-Health context. This study reports the first SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cat in a COVID-19-affected household in Switzerland. The cat (Cat 1) demonstrated signs of an upper respiratory tract infection, including sneezing, inappetence, and apathy, while the cohabiting cat (Cat 2) remained asymptomatic. Nasal, oral, fecal, fur, and environmental swab samples were collected twice from both cats and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. Both nasal swabs from Cat 1 tested positive. In addition, the first oral swab from Cat 2 and fur and bedding swabs from both cats were RT-qPCR positive. The fecal swabs tested negative. The infection of Cat 1 was confirmed by positive SARS-CoV-2 S1 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody testing and neutralizing activity in a surrogate assay. The viral genome sequence from Cat 1, obtained by next generation sequencing, showed the closest relation to a human sequence from the B.1.1.39 lineage, with one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference. This study demonstrates not only SARS-CoV-2 infection of a cat from a COVID-19-affected household but also contamination of the cats' fur and bed with viral RNA. Our results are important to create awareness that SARS-CoV-2 infected people should observe hygienic measures to avoid infection and contamination of animal cohabitants.