A cross-sectional serosurvey of SARS-CoV-2 and co-infections in stray cats from the second wave to the sixth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Spain

Villanueva-Saz, Sergio (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Martínez, Mariví ; Giner, Jacobo ; González, Ana ; Tobajas, Ana Pilar (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Pérez, María Dolores (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Lira-Navarrete, Erandi ; González-Ramírez, Andrés Manuel (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Macías-León, Javier ; Verde, Maite (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Yzuel, Andrés ; Hurtado-Guerrero, Ramón ; Arias, Maykel ; Santiago, Llipsy ; Aguiló-Gisbert, Jordi ; Ruíz, Héctor (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Lacasta, Delia (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Marteles, Diana (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Fernández, Antonio (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 is the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in humans. Among domestic animals, cats are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 than dogs. The detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in seemingly healthy cats and/or infected cats which are in close contact with infected humans has been described. The presence of animals that tested positive by serology or molecular techniques could represent a potential transmission pathway of SARS-CoV-2 that can spill over into urban wildlife. This study analyses the seroprevalence variation of SARS-CoV-2 in stray cats from different waves of outbreaks in a geographical area where previous seroepidemiological information of SARS-CoV-2 was available and investigate if SARS-CoV-2-seropositive cats were exposed to other co-infections causing an immunosuppressive status and/or a chronic disease that could lead to a SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility. For this purpose, a total of 254 stray cats from Zaragoza (Spain) were included. This analysis was carried out by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using the receptor binding domain of Spike antigen and confirmed by serum virus neutralization assay. The presence of co-infections including Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria immitis, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type 1, feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, was evaluated using different serological methods. A seropositivity of 1.57% was observed for SARS-CoV-2 including the presence of neutralizing antibodies in three cats. None of the seropositive to SARS-CoV-2 cats were positive to feline coronavirus, however, four SARS-CoV-2-seropositive cats were also seropositive to other pathogens such as L. infantum, D. immitis and FIV (n = 1), L. infantum and D. immitis (n = 1) and L. infantum alone (n = 1).Considering other pathogens, a seroprevalence of 16.54% was detected for L. infantum, 30.31% for D. immitis, 13.78%, for T. gondii, 83.86% for feline calicivirus, 42.52% for feline herpesvirus type 1, 3.15% for FeLV and 7.87% for FIV.
Our findings suggest that the epidemiological role of stray cats in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is scarce, and there is no increase in seropositivity during the different waves of COVID-19 outbreaks in this group of animals. Further epidemiological surveillances are necessary to determine the risk that other animals might possess even though stray cats do not seem to play a role in transmission.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1007/s11259-022-10016-7

Año: 2023

Publicado en: Veterinary Research Communications 47, 2 (2023), 615–629
ISSN: 0165-7380

Factor impacto JCR: 1.8 (2023)

Categ. JCR: VETERINARY SCIENCES rank: 53 / 167 = 0.317 (2023) - Q2 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 2.5 - Veterinary (all) (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.483 - Veterinary (miscellaneous) (Q2) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q3)

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Bioquímica y Biolog.Mole. (Dpto. Bioq.Biolog.Mol. Celular)
Área (Departamento): Área Medicina y Cirugía Animal (Dpto. Patología Animal)
Área (Departamento): Área Tecnología de Alimentos (Dpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali.)