The risk of pet animals in spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and public health importance: An updated review.

Since the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in 2019, it has been reported that the virus could infect a variety of animals either naturally or experimentally. This review discusses the occurrence SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats and the role of these animals in transmitting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to their owners. The data were collected from epidemiological studies and case reports that focused on studying the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in pet animals and their owners. Epidemiological studies and case reports indicate that dogs and cats are infected with SARS-CoV-2 either naturally or experimentally; however, the global number of naturally infected animals is far lower than the number of people who have COVID-19. These studies demonstrate that pet animals acquire the infection from direct contact with COVID-19-infected owners. Currently, there are no studies reporting that dogs and cats can transmit SARS-CoV-2 to other animals and humans, under natural conditions. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals (dogs and cats) in different countries worldwide raises concerns that pets are at higher risk for spreading and transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to humans and other animals, which poses a hazard to the public health. Therefore, investigating the role of dogs and cats in the transmission and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 will help us to design and implement appropriate preventive measures against the further transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to animals: an updated review.

COVID-19 caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan (Hubei province, China) during late 2019. It has spread across the globe affecting nearly 21 million people with a toll of 0.75 million deaths and restricting the movement of most of the world population during the past 6 months. COVID-19 became the leading health, economic, and humanitarian challenge of the twenty-first century. In addition to the considerable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in humans, several cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections in animal hosts (dog, cat, tiger, lion, and mink) have been reported. Thus, the concern of pet owners is increasing. Moreover, the dynamics of the disease requires further explanation, mainly concerning the transmission of the virus from humans to animals and vice versa. Therefore, this study aimed to gather information about the reported cases of COVID-19 transmission in animals through a literary review of works published in scientific journals and perform genomic and phylogenetic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from animal hosts. Although many instances of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 have been reported, caution and further studies are necessary to avoid the occurrence of maltreatment in animals, and to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics of the disease in the environment, humans, and animals. Future research in the animal-human interface can help formulate and implement preventive measures to combat the further transmission of COVID-19.