Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Viruses. 2023 Mar 11;15(3):731. doi: 10.3390/v15030731.
A higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals that have close contact with SARS-CoV-2-positive humans ("COVID-19 households") has been demonstrated in several countries. This prospective study aimed to determine the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in animals from Swiss COVID-19 households and to assess the potential risk factors for infection. The study included 226 companion animals (172 cats, 76.1%; 49 dogs, 21.7%; and 5 other animals, 2.2%) from 122 COVID-19 households with 336 human household members (including 230 SARS-CoV-2-positive people). The animals were tested for viral RNA using an RT-qPCR and/or serologically for antibodies and neutralizing activity. Additionally, surface samples from animal fur and beds underwent an RT-qPCR. A questionnaire about hygiene, animal hygiene, and contact intensity was completed by the household members. A total of 49 of the 226 animals (21.7%) from 31 of the 122 households (25.4%) tested positive/questionably positive for SARS-CoV-2, including 37 of the 172 cats (21.5%) and 12 of the 49 dogs (24.5%). The surface samples tested positive significantly more often in households with SARS-CoV-2-positive animals than in households with SARS-CoV-2-negative animals ( = 0.011). Significantly more animals tested positive in the multivariable analysis for households with minors. For cats, a shorter length of outdoor access and a higher frequency of removing droppings from litterboxes were factors that were significantly associated with higher infection rates. The study emphasizes that the behavior of owners and the living conditions of animals can influence the likelihood of a SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the infection transmission and dynamics in animals, as well as to identify the possible risk factors for animals in infected households.
在几个国家的研究中已经证明,与 SARS-CoV-2 阳性人类(“COVID-19 家庭”)密切接触的动物中,SARS-CoV-2 感染的发生率更高。本前瞻性研究旨在确定瑞士 COVID-19 家庭中动物的 SARS-CoV-2 流行率,并评估感染的潜在危险因素。该研究包括 122 个 COVID-19 家庭中的 226 只宠物(172 只猫,占 76.1%;49 只狗,占 21.7%;和 5 只其他动物,占 2.2%),共 336 名家庭成员(包括 230 名 SARS-CoV-2 阳性患者)。使用 RT-qPCR 和/或血清学方法对动物进行病毒 RNA 检测和抗体及中和活性检测。此外,对动物皮毛和床上用品的表面样本进行 RT-qPCR 检测。家庭成员填写了一份关于卫生、动物卫生和接触强度的调查问卷。共有 226 只动物中的 49 只(21.7%)来自 122 个家庭中的 31 个(25.4%)检测出 SARS-CoV-2 阳性/可疑阳性,其中 172 只猫中有 37 只(21.5%),49 只狗中有 12 只(24.5%)。表面样本在 SARS-CoV-2 阳性动物的家庭中检测出阳性的频率明显高于 SARS-CoV-2 阴性动物的家庭( = 0.011)。在多变量分析中,有未成年人的家庭中,动物检测出阳性的比例显著更高。对于猫来说,户外活动时间较短和更频繁地清理猫砂盆中的粪便与更高的感染率显著相关。该研究强调,主人的行为和动物的生活条件会影响伴侣动物感染 SARS-CoV-2 的可能性。因此,监测动物的感染传播和动态,以及识别感染家庭中动物的可能危险因素至关重要。