Survey of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats in high-risk areas during the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak, Thailand

Waleemas Jairak; Kamonpan Charoenkul; Ekkapat Chamsai; Kitikhun Udom; Supassama Chaiyawong; Aphinya Hangsawek; Suchart Waenkaew; Anek Mungaomklang; Ratanaporn Tangwangvivat; Alongkorn Amonsin

doi:10.1111/zph.12907

Survey of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats in high-risk areas during the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak, Thailand

Zoonoses Public Health. 2022 Sep;69(6):737-745. doi: 10.1111/zph.12907. Epub 2022 Jan 4.

Authors

Waleemas Jairak^{1

2

3}, Kamonpan Charoenkul^{1

2}, Ekkapat Chamsai^{1

2}, Kitikhun Udom^{1

2}, Supassama Chaiyawong^{1

2}, Aphinya Hangsawek⁴, Suchart Waenkaew⁴, Anek Mungaomklang^{5

6}, Ratanaporn Tangwangvivat⁷, Alongkorn Amonsin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Veterinary Science, Center of Excellence for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals, and One Health Research Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
³ Bureau of Research and Conservation, Zoological Park Organization, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁴ Samut Sakhon Municipality, Samut Sakhon, Thailand.
⁵ Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Region 4, Saraburi, Thailand.
⁶ Department of Disease Control, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
⁷ Coordinating Unit for One Health, Division of Communicable Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Nonthaburi, Thailand.

PMID: 34981900
DOI: 10.1111/zph.12907

Abstract

A cross-sectional survey of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic dogs and cats was conducted in high-risk areas, five subdistricts of Samut Sakhon Province, the epicenter of the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand in February 2021. A total of 523 swab samples (nasal, oral, and rectal swabs) and 159 serum samples from dogs (n = 83) and cats (n = 93) were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies. All swab samples tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by real-time RT-PCR with three panels of specific primers and probes. Although all dogs and cats were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, 3.14% (5/159) had anti-N-IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 by indirect multispecies ELISA. Our results demonstrated SARS-CoV-2 exposure in domestic animals living in high-risk areas during the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand. Thus, the use of one health approach for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals in high-risk areas of COVID-19 outbreaks should be routinely conducted and will provide benefits to risk communications in communities.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Thailand; cat; dog; survey.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Domestic
COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / veterinary
Cat Diseases* / epidemiology
Cats
Cross-Sectional Studies
Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
Dog Diseases* / epidemiology
Dogs
RNA, Viral / genetics
SARS-CoV-2
Thailand / epidemiology

Substances

RNA, Viral