SARS-CoV-2 Natural Transmission from Human to Cat, Belgium, March 2020

Mutien Garigliany (1) , Anne-Sophie van Laere (1) , Cécile Clercx (1) , Didier Giet (1) , Nicolas Escriou (2) , Christèle Huon (2) , Sylvie van Der Werf (2) , Marc Eloit (2, 3) , Daniel Desmecht (1)

1 Université de Liège
2 Institut Pasteur [Paris]
3 ENVA - École nationale vétérinaire - Alfort

In March 2020, a severe respiratory syndrome developed in a cat, 1 week after its owner received positive test results for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Viral RNA was detected in the cat's nasopharyngeal swab samples and vomitus or feces; immunoglobulin against the virus was found in convalescent-phase serum. Human-to-cat transmission is suspected.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; Felis silvestris catus; SARS-CoV-2; cat; coronavirus disease; pandemic; respiratory infections; reverse zoonosis; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; transmission; viruses; zoonoses

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Animal biology

Mutien Garigliany, Anne-Sophie van Laere, Cécile Clercx, Didier Giet, Nicolas Escriou, et al.. SARS-CoV-2 Natural Transmission from Human to Cat, Belgium, March 2020. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2020, 26 (12), pp.3069-3071. ⟨10.3201/eid2612.202223⟩. ⟨pasteur-03260224⟩