dc.contributor.author
Adler, Julia Maria
dc.contributor.author
Weber, Corinna
dc.contributor.author
Wernike, Kerstin
dc.contributor.author
Michelitsch, Anna
dc.contributor.author
Friedrich, Karin
dc.contributor.author
Trimpert, Jakob
dc.contributor.author
Beer, Martin
dc.contributor.author
Kohn, Barbara
dc.contributor.author
Osterrieder, Klaus
dc.contributor.author
Müller, Elisabeth
dc.date.accessioned
2022-07-12T10:41:55Z
dc.date.available
2022-07-12T10:41:55Z
dc.identifier.uri
https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/35526
dc.identifier.uri
http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/refubium-35241
dc.description.abstract
During the first months of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), cases of human-to-cat transmission were reported. Seroconversion was shown in cats infected under experimental and natural conditions. This large-scale survey of 1,005 serum samples was conducted to investigate anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in domestic cats during the first 7 months of the pandemic in Germany and other European countries. In addition, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of two multispecies SARS-CoV-2 antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results were confirmed by using an indirect immunofluorescence test (iIFT) and a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT). Sera that were highly positive for feline coronavirus (FCoV) antibodies (n = 103) were included to correct for cross-reactivity of the tests used. Our results showed an overall SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity of 1.9% (n = 19) in a receptor-binding domain (RBD)-based ELISA, additional 0.8% (n = 8) were giving inconclusive results. In contrast, a nucleocapsid-based ELISA revealed 0.5% (n = 5) positive and 0.2% (n = 2) inconclusive results. While the iIFT and sVNT confirmed 100% of positive and 50%–57.1% of the doubtful results as determined in the RBD ELISA, the nucleocapsid-based assay showed a high discrepancy and only one of the five positive results could be confirmed. The results indicate significant deficits of the nucleocapsid-based ELISA with respect to sensitivity and specificity. Due to a significantly higher rate (5.8%) of positive results in the group of highly FCoV antibody-positive samples, cross-reactivity of the FCoV-ELISA with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies cannot be excluded. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of direct contact of domestic cats (n = 23) to SARS-CoV-2 positive owners. Considering one inconclusive result, which got confirmed by iIFT, this exposure did not lead to a significantly higher prevalence (4.4%; p = .358) among tested subjects. Overall, we conclude that cats are a negligible entity with respect to virus transmission in Europe.
en
dc.format.extent
12 Seiten
dc.rights.uri
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject
seroprevalence
en
dc.subject.ddc
600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften::630 Landwirtschaft::630 Landwirtschaft und verwandte Bereiche
dc.title
Prevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies in cats in Germany and other European countries in the early phase of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic
dc.type
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.doi
10.1111/zph.12932
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.journaltitle
Zoonoses and Public Health
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.number
5
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.pagestart
439
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.pageend
450
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.volume
69
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.url
https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12932
refubium.affiliation
Veterinärmedizin
refubium.affiliation.other
Institut für Virologie
refubium.affiliation.other
Klinik für Kleine Haustiere
refubium.funding
DEAL Wiley
refubium.note.author
Die Publikation wurde aus Open Access Publikationsgeldern der Freien Universität Berlin gefördert.
refubium.resourceType.isindependentpub
no
dcterms.accessRights.openaire
open access
dcterms.isPartOf.eissn
1863-2378