Last week, the World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus was now a global health emergency. In the panic that ensued, people became worried, not only about their own health, but the health of their pets as well. In photos across social media, dogs wearing face masks were posted, thus causing hundreds of pet owners increasing concern.
Coronaviruses belong to the family Coronaviridae. Alpha- and beta-coronaviruses usually infect mammals, while gamma and delta coronaviruses usually infect birds and fish. Canine coronavirus, which can cause mild diarrhea and feline coronavirus, which can cause feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), are both alpha-coronaviruses. These coronaviruses are not associated with the current coronavirus outbreak.
Until the appearance of the coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2), which belongs to the beta-coronaviruses, there were only six known coronaviruses capable of infecting humans and causing respiratory disease, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS) identified in 2002-2003, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS) identified in 2012. The disease caused by the SARS-Cov-2 was named ‘Coronavirus Disease 2019’ and abbreviated to “COVID-19”. It is suggested the pathological features of COVID-19 are similar to those caused by SARS and MERS. And while emergence of this recent coronavirus is reminiscent of the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003, both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that there is no hard evidence that companion animals such as dogs or cats can contract COVID-19.
So, what does all this mean, in light of the recent concerns and false information spread?
Viruses need to attach to cells to infect them, and they do this by binding to specific receptors on the cell. If a virus cannot attach, it cannot infect. Some receptors are very specific to an individual animal species, while some are more general. These differences in receptor binding explain why some viruses only infect one species (or cell type) while others can infect more. Understanding how a virus attaches to cells can assist in determining what types of cells and what species can be infected. Therefore, if the dog is a “weak positive”, is it infectious to others? The answer is that while dogs can test positive for the virus, it does not necessarily mean they have been infected. It does mean, however, that the virus could be present on the fur of a dog, even if the dog has not actually contracted the virus.
Post time: Mar-27-2020
