Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals, risk as a reservoir and association with clinical signs

• Grant number: 21/09147-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2021
• End date: September 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Jane Megid
• Grantee: Matheus Ramalho Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In late December 2019, the rise in cases of an atypical pneumonia of unknown origin began in the city of Wuhan, China. Within a short time, it had already been ascertained that the etiological agent causing this unusual cases was a new coronavirus. This new virus is related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and is designated as SARS-CoV-2, and is responsible for being the main cause of the disease called COVID-19. The illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection is an infectious disease with zoonotic potential and great power of dissemination. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of COVID-19 an International Public Health Emergency.The present research project aims to detect SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals and evaluate the association with clinical signs presented by them. For this, dogs and cats from veterinary clinics in the cities of São Paulo and Botucatu will be analyzed in the search for animals tested positive for the virus. A total of 100 animals seen at veterinary clinics will be randomly studied, with the exception of those presenting unexpected clinical signs or those not routinely observed prior to the pandemic and/or associated with a history of positive owners for SARS-CoV-2. An epidemiological questionnaire will be applied to obtain basic information about the animals, as well as clinical history and lifestyle.Oral, nasal and anal swab samples will be collected from each animal to be evaluated in this study. For each animal, the samples will be carried out in a pool and total RNA will be extracted using the "MagMAX TM" kit, and RT-PCR will be used. Samples with a CT less than 25 will be submited to sequencing. The results will be evaluated against the clinical data of the animals, the history of the guardians regarding previous infection by SARS-CoV-2 and lifestyle, looking for a possible association through statistical analysis.