Coronaviruses in cats and other companion animals: Where does SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 fit?

Vet Microbiol. 2020 Aug:247:108777. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108777. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Abstract

Coronaviruses (CoVs) cause disease in a range of agricultural and companion animal species, and can be important causes of zoonotic infections. In humans, several coronaviruses circulate seasonally. Recently, a novel zoonotic CoV named SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a bat reservoir, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. With a focus on felines, we review here the evidence for SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats, ferrets and dogs, describe the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and the natural coronaviruses known to infect these species, and provide a rationale for the relative susceptibility of these species to SARS-CoV-2 through comparative analysis of the ACE-2 receptor.

Keywords: ACE-2; Coronavirus; Feline coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Cat Diseases / virology*
  • Cats / virology
  • Coronavirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Dog Diseases / virology*
  • Dogs / virology
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Ferrets / virology
  • Humans
  • Pandemics / veterinary*
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / veterinary*
  • Receptors, Coronavirus
  • Receptors, Virus / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Zoonoses / transmission*
  • Zoonoses / virology

Substances

  • Receptors, Coronavirus
  • Receptors, Virus
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2