pets, a “viral reservoir”?

Be careful if you have a cat at home: you can transmit Covid-19 to it! This is what scientists from the University of Glasgow report, who have identified two cases of human transmission of the coronavirus to a feline. Their study, published in the journal vétirinaire Veterinary Record, was carried out as part of a screening program for the feline population in the United Kingdom.

The first reported case is that of a 4 month old Ragdoll kitten. Its owner has not been tested, but exhibited symptoms of Covid-19 at the end of March 2020. Suffering from breathing difficulties, the animal was taken to the veterinarian. As his condition worsened, he had to be euthanized and lung samples taken after his death revealed that he was suffering from consequences that could be compared to those of viral pneumonia. Traces of infection with SARS-CoV-2 were also discovered.

The second case reported by researchers is that of a 6-year-old Siamese female. One of his masters had tested positive for Covid-19. The cat developed conjunctivitis and a runny nose, which led her owners to take her to the vet, who was able to confirm contamination with the coronavirus. Her story ends better, as her symptoms did not develop much and she was able to recover.

Animal testing for Covid-19 is limited, so researchers believe the number of human-to-animal contaminations would be underestimated. Conversely, there is no evidence of transmission of the coronavirus from cats to humans, and there are no signs that pets may play a role in the pandemic. Nevertheless, the authors of the study explain that the animals could constitute a “viral reservoir”.

According to them, we must therefore seek to understand what role animals can play in the infection of humans. “These two cases of human-to-animal transmission […] demonstrate why it is important to improve our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals. Currently, animal-to-human transmission is a relatively low risk in areas where human-to-human transmission remains high. However, as human cases decline, the prospect of animal-to-animal transmission becomes increasingly important as a potential source for the reintroduction of SARS-CoV-2 into humans. It is therefore important to know whether the animals exposed can play a role in transmission “, explains Professor Margaret Hosie, principal investigator of the study, cited by the Guardian.