SCIENTISTS have identified cases of human-to-cat transmission of Covid. Researchers from the University of Glasgow found two cases of SARS-CoV-2 transmission as part of a screening programme of the feline population in the UK. Researchers believe both pets were infected by their owners, who had Covid-19 symptoms before the cats became unwell. The study, published in the Veterinary Record, said there is currently no evidence of cat-to-human transmission or that cats, dogs or other domestic animals play any big role in the epidemiology of human Covid infections. But the scientists said domestic animals could potentially act as a “viral reservoir” allowing continued transmission, and said it is important to improve understanding of whether pets can play a role in infecting humans.
Covid sufferers urged not to cuddle pets after pet dies of virus infected by owner
Glasgow University researchers warned that there could be risks involved with pets catching the bug by licking or sleeping near an infected person.
Updated
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Human-to-cat coronavirus transmissions identified by scientists
It is not known whether cats with Covid-19 could naturally transmit the virus to other animals, or back to humans
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Scientists have identified two cases of human-to-cat transmission of coronavirus.
Researchers at the University of Glasgow found the cases of SARS-CoV-2 transmission as part of a screening programme of the UK s feline population.
Researchers have now documented human-to-cat transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, that occurred during the pandemic in the UK, with the infected cats displaying mild or severe respiratory disease. The research provides fresh evidence that people have transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to cats during the pandemic in the UK. The study, which is published in Veterinary Record, detected the virus last year in cats that developed mild or severe respiratory disease. Investigators used a range of laboratory techniques to show that two domestic cats from households with suspected cases of Covid-19 were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Given the ability of the coronavirus to infect companion animals, it will be important to monitor for human-to-cat, cat-to-cat and cat-to-human transmission, said lead author Margaret Hosie of the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.
Kitten died after contracting coronavirus from its owner while Covid was detected in another cat, researchers find
Two cases of human-to-cat transmission of Covid-19 have been identified by scientists in the UK - but they believe the cases are likely an underestimate of the true frequency
06:54, 23 APR 2021
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