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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.06.23.449594

SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in Dogs and Cats in the United Kingdom

Smith, S.·Anderson, E.·Cansado Utrilla, C.·Prince, T.·Farrell, S.·Brant, B.·Smyth, S.·Noble, P.-J.·Pinchbeck, G.·Marshall, N.·Roberts, L.·Hughes, G.·Radford, A.·Patterson, E. I.
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Abstract

Companion animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and sporadic cases of pet infections have occurred in the United Kingdom. Here we present the first large-scale serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the UK. Results are reported for 688 sera (454 canine, 234 feline) collected by a large veterinary diagnostic laboratory for routine haematology during three time periods; pre-COVID-19 (January 2020), during the first wave of UK human infections (April-May 2020) and during the second wave of UK human infections (September 2020-February 2021). Both pre-COVID-19 sera and those from the first wave tested negative. However, in sera collected during the second wave, 1.4% (n=4) of dogs and 2.2% (n=2) cats tested positive for neutralising antibodies. The low numbers of animals testing positive suggests pet animals are unlikely to be a major reservoir for human infection in the UK. However, continued surveillance of in-contact susceptible animals should be performed as part of ongoing population health surveillance initiatives.

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Smith, S., Anderson, E., Cansado Utrilla, C., Prince, T., Farrell, S., Brant, B., Smyth, S., Noble, P.-J., Pinchbeck, G., Marshall, N., Roberts, L., Hughes, G., Radford, A., Patterson, E. I.. 2021-06-23. SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in Dogs and Cats in the United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.23.449594

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