RT Journal Article
T1 Evaluation of the clinical evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats by simulating natural routes of infection
A1 Barroso Arévalo, Sandra
A1 Sánchez Morales, Lidia
A1 Barasona García-Arévalo, José Ángel
A1 Rivera Arroyo, Belén
A1 Sánchez García, Rocío
A1 Risalde, María A.
A1 Agulló-Ros, Irene
A1 Sánchez-Vizcaíno Rodríguez, José Manuel
AB Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the current pandemic disease denominated as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Several studies suggest that the original source of this virus was a spillover from an animal reservoir and its subsequent adaptation to humans. Of all the different animals affected, cats are one of the most susceptible species. Moreover, several cases of natural infection in domestic and stray cats have been reported in the last few months. Although experimental infection assays have demonstrated that cats are successfully infected and can transmit the virus to other cats by aerosol, the conditions used for these experiments have not been specified in terms of ventilation. We have, therefore, evaluated the susceptibility of cats using routes of infection similar to those expected under natural conditions (exposure to a sneeze, cough, or contaminated environment) by aerosol and oral infection. We have also evaluated the transmission capacity among infected and naïve cats using different air exchange levels. Despite being infected using natural routes and shed virus for a long period, the cats did not transmit the virus to contact cats when air renovation features were employed. The infected animals also developed gross and histological lesions in several organs. These outcomes confirm that cats are at risk of infection when exposed to infected people, but do not transmit the virus to other cats with high rates of air renovation.
PB Springer Nature
SN 0165-7380
YR 2022
FD 2022-03-03
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/71474
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/71474
LA eng
NO CRUE-CSIC (Acuerdos Transformativos 2022)
NO Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
DS Docta Complutense
RD 13 abr 2025