Bellinati Laura, Campalto Mery, Mazzotta Elisa, Ceglie Letizia, Cavicchio Lara, Mion Monica, Lucchese Laura, Salomoni Angela, Bortolami Alessio, Quaranta Erika, Magarotto Jacopo, Favarato Mosè, Squarzon Laura, Natale Alda
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
ULSS 3 Serenissima, 30174 Venice, Italy.
Microorganisms. 2022 Dec 31;11(1):110. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11010110.
Dogs and cats are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). During the pandemic, several studies have been performed on owned cats and dogs, whereas limited data are available on the exposure to stray animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the exposure to SARS-CoV-2 of feral cats and kennel dogs in northeastern Italy, through serological and molecular methods. From May 2021 to September 2022, public health veterinary services collected serum, oropharyngeal, and rectal swab samples from 257 free-roaming dogs newly introduced to shelters, and from 389 feral cats examined during the routinely trap-neutered-return programs. The swabs were analyzed for viral RNA through a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR), and sera were tested for the presence of the specific antibody against SARS-CoV-2 (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Serology was positive in nine dogs (9/257) and three cats (3/389), while two asymptomatic cats tested positive to rRT-PCR. One cat turned out to be positive both for serology and molecular analysis. In addition, this study described the case of a possible human-to-animal SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a cat that travelled in close contact to a COVID-19-positive refugee from Ukraine. This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can infect, in natural conditions, stray cats and kennel dogs in northeastern Italy, although with a low prevalence.
狗和猫对严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）易感。在疫情期间，已对家养猫和狗进行了多项研究，而关于接触流浪动物的数据有限。本研究的目的是通过血清学和分子方法调查意大利东北部野猫和犬舍狗接触SARS-CoV-2的情况。2021年5月至2022年9月，公共卫生兽医服务部门从257只新引入收容所的自由放养犬以及在常规诱捕-绝育-放归计划中检查的389只野猫身上采集了血清、口咽拭子和直肠拭子样本。通过实时逆转录聚合酶链反应（rRT-PCR）分析拭子中的病毒RNA，并检测血清中是否存在抗SARS-CoV-2的特异性抗体（酶联免疫吸附测定）。血清学检测中9只狗（9/257）和3只猫（3/389）呈阳性，而2只无症状猫rRT-PCR检测呈阳性。有1只猫血清学和分子分析均呈阳性。此外，本研究描述了一只猫可能发生人传动物SARS-CoV-2传播的病例，这只猫与一名来自乌克兰的COVID-19阳性难民密切接触。本研究表明，SARS-CoV-2在自然条件下可感染意大利东北部的流浪猫和犬舍狗，尽管感染率较低。
