Special Issue "Susceptibility of Animals to SARS-CoV-2"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 April 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Natale Alda
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
Interests: infectious diseases and zoonoses; leptospirosis; Q fever; leishmaniosis; chlamydioses; hepatitis E; brucellosis; vector borne diseases; toxoplasmosis
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Antonio Fernández
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: animal science; immunology; veterinary
Dr. Sergio Villanueva-Saz
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: animal science; clinical pathology, immunologic techniques; veterinary

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 emerged in 2019, and spread rapidly to the rest of the world causing the pandemic disease named the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). To date, it is unknown what role pets, farm species and wildlife animals play in the epidemiology of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

In this Special Issue on “Susceptibility of animals to SARS-CoV-2” of Animals, we aim to collect the present state-of-the-art research and future directions on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and susceptibility of domestic animals, laboratory animals and wildlife species to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

We invite original articles with relevant results that offer new information about the human–animal interface of SARS-CoV-2 that lead to a better understanding the role that animals can have in this infection. Different types of articles including reviews, original research, etc., are welcome to be submitted.

The “Susceptibility of animals to SARS-coronavirus 2” issue will advance knowledge on the latest research on this coronavirus.

Dr. Natale Alda
Dr. Antonio Fernández
Dr. Sergio Villanueva-Saz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • animals
  • diagnosis
  • COVID-19
  • one health
  • pathology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Article
Absence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Natural Environment Exposure in Sheep in Close Contact with Humans
Animals 2021, 11(7), 1984; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071984 - 02 Jul 2021
Viewed by 1229
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the zoonotic causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has caused a pandemic situation with millions of infected humans worldwide. Among domestic animals, there have been limited studies regarding the transmissibility and exposure to [...] Read more.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the zoonotic causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has caused a pandemic situation with millions of infected humans worldwide. Among domestic animals, there have been limited studies regarding the transmissibility and exposure to the infection in natural conditions. Some animals are exposed and/or susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as cats, ferrets and dogs. By contrast, there is no information about the susceptibility of ruminants to SARS-CoV-2. This study tested the antibody response in 90 ovine pre-pandemic serum samples and 336 sheep serum samples from the pandemic period (June 2020 to March 2021). In both cases, the animals were in close contact with a veterinary student community composed of more than 700 members. None of the serum samples analyzed was seroreactive based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike antigen. In this sense, no statistical difference was observed compared to the pre-pandemic sheep. Our results suggest that it seems unlikely that sheep could play a relevant role in the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is the first study to report the absence of evidence of sheep exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in natural conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Susceptibility of Animals to SARS-CoV-2)
Article
SARS-Cov-2 Natural Infection in a Symptomatic Cat: Diagnostic, Clinical and Medical Management in a One Health Vision
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061640 - 01 Jun 2021
Viewed by 1526
Abstract
Despite the reported increase in SARS-CoV-2-infected pets, the description of the clinical features from natural infection and the medical follow up in symptomatic pets is still not sufficiently documented. This study reports the case of an indoor cat that displayed respiratory signs and [...] Read more.
Despite the reported increase in SARS-CoV-2-infected pets, the description of the clinical features from natural infection and the medical follow up in symptomatic pets is still not sufficiently documented. This study reports the case of an indoor cat that displayed respiratory signs and a gastrointestinal syndrome, following the COVID-19 diagnosis of his owners. Thoracic radiographies were suggestive of bronchial pneumonia, while blood tests were indicative of a mild inflammatory process. Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs tested positive through RT-qPCR assays targeting SARS-CoV-2 genes 14 days after his owners tested positive for the virus. Nasal swabs persisted to be RT-qPCR positive after 31 days. Serology confirmed the presence of antibodies through ELISA, electrochemiluminescence analysis and plaque reduction neutralization test, recording a high antibody titre after 31 days. The cat improved after medical treatment and clinically recovered. This study suggests that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 could lead to a natural infection with bronchial pneumonia in cats along with a possible prolonged persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the upper airways, albeit at a low level. The cat developed neutralizing antibodies, reaching a high titre after 31 days. Further descriptions of SARS-CoV-2 naturally infected pets, their medical management and diagnostic findings would be useful to enhance knowledge about COVID-19 in susceptible animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Susceptibility of Animals to SARS-CoV-2)
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Systematic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Outcome in Domestic and Wild Cats: A Systematic Review
Animals 2021, 11(7), 2056; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11072056 - 09 Jul 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1858
Abstract
Recently, it has been proved that SARS-CoV-2 has the ability to infect multiple species. This work was aimed at identifying the clinical signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic and wild felids. A PRISMA-based systematic review was performed on case reports on domestic and [...] Read more.
Recently, it has been proved that SARS-CoV-2 has the ability to infect multiple species. This work was aimed at identifying the clinical signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic and wild felids. A PRISMA-based systematic review was performed on case reports on domestic and wild cats, reports on experimental infections, case reports in databases, preprints and published press releases. Descriptive statistical analysis of the data was performed. A total of 256 articles, 63 detailed official reports and 2 press articles on SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic and wild cats were analyzed, of which 19 articles and 65 reports were finally included. In domestic cats, most cats’ infections are likely to be asymptomatic, and 46% of the reported infected animals were symptomatic and predominantly presented respiratory signs such as sneezing and coughing. In wild felines, respiratory clinical signs were most frequent, and up to 96.5% of the reported affected animals presented coughing. It is noteworthy that, to date, symptomatic animals with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported to belong to two different subfamilies (Phanterinae and Felinae), with up to five different felid species affected within the Felidae family. Reported results evince that the signs developed in felids show similar progression to those occurring in humans, suggesting a relationship between the viral cycle and target tissues of the virus in different species. While viral transmission to humans in contact with animal populations has not been reported, spill-back could result in the emergence of immune-escape mutants that might pose a risk to public health. Despite the clear results in the identification of the typical clinical picture of SARS-CoV-2 infection in felines, the number of detailed academic reports and papers on the subject is scarce. Therefore, further description of these cases will allow for more accurate and statistically robust clinical approaches in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Susceptibility of Animals to SARS-CoV-2)
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