Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated lesions in exotic and companion animals. Issue 4 (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rotstein, David S.; Peloquin, Sarah; Proia, Kathleen; Hart, Ellen; Lee, Jeongha; Vyhnal, Kristin K.; Sasaki, Emi; Balamayooran, Gayathriy; Asin, Javier; Southard, Teresa; Rothfeldt, Laura; Venkat, Heather; Mundschenk, Peter; McDermott, Darby; Crossley, Beate; Ferro, Pamela; Gomez, Gabriel; Henderson, Eileen H.; Narayan, Paul; Paulsen, Daniel B.; Rekant, Steven; Schroeder, Megan E.; Tell, Rachel M.; Torchetti, Mia Kim; Uzal, Francisco A.; Carpenter, Ann; Ghai, Ria
• Is Part Of: Veterinary pathology. Volume 59:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 707
• Page End: 711
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: bronchopneumonia -- dogs -- COVID-19 -- cats -- respiratory -- severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 -- syncytial cell -- viral -- tiger -- zoonosis; Veterinary pathology -- Periodicals; Pathology, Veterinary -- Periodicals; 636.089607
• DOI: 10.1177/03009858211067467
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-9858

Abstract

Documented natural infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in exotic and companion animals following human exposures are uncommon. Those documented in animals are typically mild and self-limiting, and infected animals have only infrequently died or been euthanized. Through a coordinated One Health initiative, necropsies were conducted on 5 animals from different premises that were exposed to humans with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The combination of epidemiologic evidence of exposure and confirmatory real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing confirmed infection in 3 cats and a tiger. A dog was a suspect case based on epidemiologic evidence of exposure but tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. Four animals had respiratory clinical signs that developed 2 to 12 days after exposure. The dog had bronchointerstitial pneumonia and the tiger had bronchopneumonia; both had syncytial-like cells with no detection of SARS-CoV-2. Individual findings in the 3 cats included metastatic mammary carcinoma, congenital renal disease, and myocardial disease. Based on the necropsy findings and a standardized algorithm, SARS-CoV-2 infection was not considered the cause of death in any of the cases. Continued surveillance and necropsy examination of animals with fatal outcomes will further our understanding of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals and the potential role of the virus in development of lesions.