ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is continuing to spread globally. SARS-CoV-2 infections of feline and canine species have also been reported. However, it is not entirely clear to what extent natural SARS-CoV-2 infection of pet dogs and cats is in households. We have developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein and the receptor-binding-domain (RBD) of the spike protein, and the SARS-CoV-2 spike-pseudotyped vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based neutralization assay to screen serum samples of 239 pet cats and 510 pet dogs in Minnesota in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-April to early June 2020 for evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposures. A cutoff value was used to identify the seropositive samples in each experiment. The average seroprevalence of N- and RBD-specific antibodies in pet cats were 8% and 3%, respectively. Among nineteen (19) N-seropositive cat sera, fifteen (15) exhibited neutralizing activity and seven (7) were also RBD-seropositive. The N-based ELISA is also specific and does not cross react with antigens of common feline coronaviruses. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected at a very low percentage in pet dogs (~ 1%) and were limited to IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 N protein with no neutralizing activities. Our results demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 seropositive rates are higher in pet cats than in pet dogs in MN early in the pandemic and that SARS-CoV-2 N-specific IgG antibodies can detect SARS-CoV-2 infections in companion animals with higher levels of specificity and sensitivity than RBD-specific IgG antibodies in ELISA-based assays.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, zoonoses, SARS-CoV-2, Seroprevalence, ELISA, dog, cat, neutralization antibodies, feline coronaviruses, 【초록키워드】 Coronaviruses, coronavirus, pandemic, antibody, SARS-COV-2 infection, COVID-19 pandemic, coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, ELISA, Spike protein, Antigen, Spread, Protein, sensitivity, specificity, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Neutralizing activity, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, IgG antibody, SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Neutralization assay, IgG antibodies, cats, RBD, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, sera, Households, SARS-CoV-2 N protein, canine, antigens, cross, experiment, SARS-CoV-2 infections, seropositive, ELISAs, vesicular stomatitis virus, specific antibodies, Evidence, evidence of, vesicular stomatitis, serum samples, enzyme, early phase, specific IgG antibodies, average, neutralizing activities, stomatitis, cutoff value, RBD-specific antibodies, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid, seropositive samples, serum sample, RBD-specific IgG, Seven, identify, was used, detect, caused, reported, assays, exhibited, the spike protein, RBD-specific antibody, seropositive sample, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 USA,