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Review
. 2022 Jul 13;14(7):1527.
doi: 10.3390/v14071527.

An Updated Review on SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Animals

Shujuan Cui  1 , Yimeng Liu  1 , Jiachen Zhao  1 , Xiaomin Peng  1 , Guilan Lu  1 , Weixian Shi  1 , Yang Pan  1 , Daitao Zhang  1 , Peng Yang  1 , Quanyi Wang  1
Affiliations
Review

An Updated Review on SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Animals

Shujuan Cui et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has lasted for two years and caused millions of infections and deaths in humans. Although the origin of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans remains unknown, infection in animals has been frequently reported in varieties of animals all over the world. Both experimental and natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 in different animal species provide useful information on viral host range and pathogenicity. As the pandemic continues to evolve, SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals will be expanding. In this review, we summarized SARS-CoV-2 testing and infection in animals as well as SARS-CoV-2 strains and transmission in animals. Current data showed that at least 18 different animal species tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. These 18 animal species belong to pet, captive, farmed, and wild animals. Fifteen of the eighteen animal species were known to be positive for the Delta variant and ten animal species were infected with two different types of variants. Human-to-animal, animal-to-animal, and animal-to-human transmission events were suggested in different outbreaks involved in animal infection with SARS-CoV-2. Continued testing, immunization, and surveillance are warranted.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; animal species; infection; strain; testing; transmission route.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SARS-CoV-2-positive animal species are divided into four different categories: captive, pet, wild, and farmed animals. Countries in which these animals first tested SARS-CoV-2 positive are provided. Solid arrows indicate that evidence supports transmission between humans and animals, and dashed arrows suggest potential transmission. Animal species in the captive group with a dashed circle are from zoos with other animals positive for SARS-CoV-2, while those in the captive group with a solid circle are from zoos with only a single species testing positive. B: binturong; Ca: cat; Co: coatimundi; De: deer; Do: dog; Fe: ferret; FC: fishing cat; G: gorilla; Ha: hamster; Hi: Hippo; Hy: hyena; Li: lion; Ly: lynx; M: mink; O: otter, P: puma; SL: snow leopard; T: tiger.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Countries with positive SARS-CoV-2 animals are marked with orange color. Animal species positive for SARS-CoV-2 in each country are provided. Until 12 May 2022, a total of 39 countries had animals that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. B: binturong; Ca: cat; Co: coatimundi; De: deer; Do: dog; Fe: ferret; FC: fishing cat; G: gorilla; Ha: hamster; Hi: Hippo; Hy: hyena; Li: lion; Ly: lynx; M: mink; O: otter; P: puma; SL: snow leopard; T: tiger.
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