Nationwide seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant and five Omicron sublineages in companion cats and dogs in the USA: insights into their role in COVID-19 epidemiology

Nationwide seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant and five Omicron sublineages in companion cats and dogs in the USA: insights into their role in COVID-19 epidemiology

Understanding SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology in companion animals is critical for evaluating their role in viral transmission and their potential as sentinels for human infections. This large-scale serosurvey analyzed serum samples from 706 cats and 2,396 dogs collected across the USA in 2023 using a surro...

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Main Authors: Subarna Barua, Nneka Vivian Iduu, Daniel Felipe Barrantes Murillo, Asfiha Tarannum, Hill Dimino, Suchita Barua, Yue Shu, Calvin Johnson, Megan R. Miller, Kelly Chenoweth, Peter Christopherson, Laura Huber, Theresa Wood, Kelley Turner, Chengming Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
Subjects:
SARS-CoV-2
Delta variant
Omicron sublineages
surrogate virus neutralization test
cats and dogs
USA
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2024.2437246
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Summary:Understanding SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology in companion animals is critical for evaluating their role in viral transmission and their potential as sentinels for human infections. This large-scale serosurvey analyzed serum samples from 706 cats and 2,396 dogs collected across the USA in 2023 using a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Overall, 5.7% of cats and 4.7% of dogs tested positive for antibodies, with younger animals (under 12 months) showing significantly lower seropositivity rates (p = 0.0048). Additionally, we analyzed 153 positive samples for variant-specific antibody responses using six sVNT kits targeting the Delta variant and five Omicron sublineages. Among cats, 67.5% showed antibodies to Delta, with positivity rates for Omicron sublineages as follows: BA.1 (62.5%), BA.2 (42.5%), BA.4/BA.5 (77.5%), XBB (52.5%), and XBB.1.5 (45.0%). In dogs, 55.8% were positive for Delta, and Omicron sublineage rates were BA.1 (46.0%), BA.4/BA.5 (37.2%), XBB (58.4%), BA.2 (13.3%), and XBB.1.5 (9.7%). Given the close contact between companion animals and humans, and the persistence of antibodies against various SARS-CoV-2 variants and sublineages, our findings suggest that seroprevalence in cats and dogs may serve as valuable tool for tracking COVID-19 epidemiology.
ISSN:2222-1751

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