Research
[Nature] Infection of dogs with SARS-CoV-2
Nature, 14 May 2020
Thomas H. C. Sit, Christopher J. Brackman, Sin Ming Ip, Karina W. S. Tam, Pierra Y. T. Law, Esther M. W. To, Veronica Y. T. Yu, Leslie D. Sims, Dominic N. C. Tsang, Daniel K. W. Chu, Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera, Leo L. M. Poon & Malik Peiris
Highlights:
- Two out of fifteen dogs from households with confirmed human cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong SAR were found to be infected
- Both dogs had antibody responses detected using plaque reduction neutralization assays.
- Viral genetic sequences of viruses from the two dogs were identical to the virus detected in the respective human cases.
- The animals remained asymptomatic during quarantine.
- The evidence suggests that these are instances of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
- It is unclear whether infected dogs can transmit the virus to other animals or back to humans.
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