Diagnosis of COVID -19 by PCR method from the nasopharyngeal samples of symptomatic domestic cats and dogs

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the acute respiratory syndrome of the coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to its severity and spread, the World Health Organization considered it an epidemic. Coronavirus can infect several species of animals and can spread to people and then spread between them. This study aimed to isolate COVID-19 from the nasopharynx of cats and dogs. This cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 months, spring 2022. Saliva and nasopharynx swab samples were taken from 36 domestic dogs (N=30) and cats (N=6) that were symptomatic (with respiratory and/or digestive symptoms) in the clinic of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Tehran University. Also, a questionnaire specific to the owners of these animals was considered, including questions such as age, sex, history of most recently COVID-19, and clinical symptoms. COVID-19 was detected by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-Time PCR) method. In this study 7 dog parents (23.3%) were recently infected with COVID-19, of which 4 had contact with their pets. Also, one cat parent had been recently infected and had contact with other pets during his illness. No COVID-19 was isolated from the symptomatic pets, but some clinical symptoms were reported in them; the most common symptoms seen in dogs were digestive and then respiratory ones. In cats, the most involved systems were respiratory and then Gastrointestinal. All saliva and nasopharynx samples were negative. It will require more samples of pets of more individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in future studies. Nevertheless, avoiding close contact should be considered as long as they remain ill, and using face masks and basic health measures should be observed.