Episode description

This week we're taking a mould holiday and instead focussing on a very serious contemporary health crisis.  Today, I want to review what we know about SARS-CoV-2 and virus transmission in pets.  There has been some disturbing new stories about this virus in 2 dogs and then 2 cats.  Investigations in Hong Kong revealed that the virus could be detected in at least one dog. The CDC cautions that there is no immediate risk to people from their pets. Obviously, no one wants people to start fearing their pets, but these early reports certainly suggests that there is some form of transmission even if this is juts settled RNA virus onto the pets fur.  However a bombshell of a paper came out overnight showing that SARS-CoV-2 is spread via droplets in ferrets and cats.  This is alarming and suggests that perhaps more widespread epidemiological testing needs to be undertaken in at least cats.  The last part of this livestream focuses on masks and if they offer scientifically valid reasons for wearing them.   Review a paper that shows that mask wearing on public transport prevents transmission to others.  The final paper looks at 3 types of masks and notes that mask wearing in combination with use of hand sanitiser can help minimise transmission. 

REFERENCES: 

Susceptibility of ferrets, cats, dogs, and different domestic animals to SARS-coronavirus-2. 2020. 

Evaluating COVID-19 Public Health Messaging in Italy: Self-Reported Compliance and Growing Mental Health Concerns. medRxiv. 2020;(March 30). 

Pet dog tests positive for COVID-19 virus, Thursday, March 19, 2020. Afcd.gov.hk. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Risque zoonotique du SARS-CoV2 (Covid-19) associé aux animaux de compagnie : infection de l’animal vers l’homme et de l’homme vers l’animal (Mandat du Comité scientifique fédéral en charge de la gestion de la pandémie de SARS-CoV2 en Belgique). Afsca.be. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Detection of low level of COVID-19 virus in pet dog. Info.gov.hk. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Hong Kong dog causes panic – but here's why you needn't worry about pets spreading COVID-19. The Conversation. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - If You Have Animals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Should pets be tested for coronavirus?. Science. 2020;Mar. 31(2020). doi:10.1126/science.abc0029. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/should-pets-be-tested-coronavirus

Pet cat tests positive for coronavirus in Hong Kong. The Straits Times. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Cat infected with COVID-19 from owner in Belgium. livescience.com. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Follow-up reports: Immediate Notification, then Reports No.1,2 and 3. Oie.int. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

Questions and Answers on the COVID-19: OIE - World Organisation for Animal Health. Oie.int. Published 2020. Accessed April 1, 2020.

BREAKING NEWS:

Turbulent Gas Clouds and Respiratory Pathogen Emissions: Potential Implications for Reducing Transmission of COVID-19. JAMA. Published online March 26, 2020. 

COVID-19 : Face Masks and Human-to-human Transmission. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2020;(29 March 2020). 

Potential utilities of mask wearing and instant hand hygiene for fighting SARS-CoV-2. J Med Virol. 2020;(31 March 2020).