Humans catch COVID from cats – this is why this new evidence is not the cause of panic

Since the beginning of the pandemic, several human cases have been recorded infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. To their pet.. But the opposite was rare – until recently. hamster, mink When White-tailed deer It was the only animal reported to have spread SARS-CoV-2 to people.

Now, for the first time, a group of Thai researchers have shown possible cases of infection from. Cat Return to humans.

So do you need to worry about the possibility of getting COVID from your pet? Probably not based on this study. However, there are areas where pet-to-human transmission may be of concern in the future.

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Studies show that the father and his adult son People infected with COVID in BangkokSince there were no beds in Bangkok, he was transported 900km to a hospital in the Hat Yai district of Thailand. The patient traveled by ambulance with his pet cat. There is no mention of research on why cats were with them.

Upon arrival, the cat was examined by three local veterinarians and wiped for SARS-CoV-2. The cat sneezes on the face of one of the vets while the nasal swab is being taken. The cat tested positive, and the vet also turned positive a few days later.

Careful sequencing of the virus from fathers and sons, cats, and veterinarians has shown that they are identical and, importantly, different from the strains circulating in the area around Hat Yai. A very strong reasoning is that the father, son and cat caught COVID in Bangkok while the cat was infected with a veterinarian during the test.

SARS-CoV-2 is already known to be infected Range of livestock and wildlife Includes bats, cats, dogs, mink and deer. Scientists predict that the virus can become infected by comparing the surface of the virus with the receptors of various animal cells. More species If the opportunity arises.

But so far, evidence suggests that if animal-to-human transmission plays any role in maintaining a pandemic, it is very minor. Containing the population has always been effective in reducing infections and supports the idea that human-to-human transmission is the most important factor.

Pet ownership has not been identified as a risk factor for COVID.In one study Taking a walk with a dog The risk of COVID has increased, which, of course, may be related to various sources of infection.

In the Netherlands where there was evidence of Infection from mink to humansMinks were stored in cages where transmission between minks was widespread and farm workers were severely exposed to them.

Even in this latest study from Thailand, only one of the three veterinarians was infected, probably because the cat sneezes on her face. This would have exposed her to high doses of the virus. She wore a mask covering her mouth and nose, but not her goggles or face shield.

The advice Previous reports from public health agencies during pandemics have endeavored to minimize contact with pets if they have a COVID and to minimize contact between pets and others with their pets. I’ve been. Overall, there seems to be no reason to change this advice.

Potential problem

Transmission through non-human species New, unpredictable variant.. These variants can better escape the immunity generated by vaccination or previous infections, for example, or can cause more serious illness.

In the case of Thailand, the author’s hypothesis is that the most obvious hypothesis is that a father and son were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Bangkok, infected a cat, and the cat was infected with a veterinarian. Similarities between the viral gene sequences in all of them suggest that no mutations occurred as they passed through the cat.

However, another possible scenario is that the cat was infected first, then the virus to the owner, and then independently to the veterinarian.This is unlikely to happen because the cat appears to be shedding SARS-CoV-2 In a short time More than humans, but it’s still possible.

If this happens, assess whether there was a mutation while passing through the cat, without comparing the virus sequences from father, son, cat, veterinarian to the virus that is prevalent in Bangkok, where the cat is probably located. It would be impossible to do. I was infected.

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I’ve seen virus mutations occur Infection from mink to humans.. However, mink selection and human isolation prevent further infection of these mutant versions of SARS-CoV-2, and the symptoms of people infected with mink are less severe than those who have caught the virus from other humans. was. Mutations have occurred in cats infected with SARS-CoV-2, but so far they do not appear to have. Consistent pattern This may indicate a problem.

New SARS-CoV-2 mutants that can escape immunity or cause more serious illness can prevent progression to normal. At this time, there is little evidence that the cycle of human-to-cat, cat-to-cat, cat-to-human transmission (or cycles involving other pets) may contribute to the emergence of such variants in the future. ..

However, it is important to maintain good surveillance mechanisms in humans, pets, livestock and wildlife to identify changes in the SARS-CoV-2 virus.