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. 2021 Dec;27(12):3115-3118.
doi: 10.3201/eid2712.211252. Epub 2021 Oct 25.

SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibodies in Domestic Cats during First COVID-19 Wave, Europe

Claudia Schulz, Byron Martina, Monica Mirolo, Elisabeth Müller, Ruth Klein, Holger Volk, Herman Egberink, Mariana Gonzalez-Hernandez, Franziska Kaiser, Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede, Albert Osterhaus

SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibodies in Domestic Cats during First COVID-19 Wave, Europe

Claudia Schulz et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

We conducted a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody seroprevalence study among >2,000 domestic cats from 4 countries during the first coronavirus disease wave in Europe. We found 4.4% seroprevalence using a virus neutralization test and 4.3% using a receptor-binding domain ELISA, demonstrating probable human-to-cat transmission.

Keywords: COVID-19; ELISA; Europe; One Health; SARS; SARS-CoV-2; cat; coronavirus; coronavirus disease; felines; neutralization tests; respiratory infections; serology; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Overall seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 neutralizing antibodies in 2,160 domestic cats, by month and country, during the first coronavirus disease pandemic wave, Europe, April–August 2020. Numerals at the top of each column represent the number of samples collected. Seroprevalence rates peaked in July or August at <9.6% (95% CI 4.25%–18.11%) in Spain (Tables 1, 2).
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