Infection of dogs with SARS-CoV-2 Sit, Thomas H C; Brackman, Christopher J; Ip, Sin Ming ...
Nature,
10/2020, Letnik:
586, Številka:
7831
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Wuhan in December 2019 and caused coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
. In 2003, the closely related SARS-CoV had ...been detected in domestic cats and a dog
. However, little is known about the susceptibility of domestic pet mammals to SARS-CoV-2. Here, using PCR with reverse transcription, serology, sequencing the viral genome and virus isolation, we show that 2 out of 15 dogs from households with confirmed human cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong were found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in five nasal swabs collected over a 13-day period from a 17-year-old neutered male Pomeranian. A 2.5-year-old male German shepherd was positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA on two occasions and virus was isolated from nasal and oral swabs. Antibody responses were detected in both dogs using plaque-reduction-neutralization assays. Viral genetic sequences of viruses from the two dogs were identical to the virus detected in the respective human cases. The dogs remained asymptomatic during quarantine. The evidence suggests that these are instances of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2. It is unclear whether infected dogs can transmit the virus to other animals or back to humans.
We tested 50 cats from coronavirus disease households or close contacts in Hong Kong, China, for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in respiratory and fecal samples. We found 6 cases ...of apparent human-to-feline transmission involving healthy cats. Virus genomes sequenced from 1 cat and its owner were identical.
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to other mammals, including pet animals, has been reported. However, with the exception of farmed mink, there is no previous evidence that these infected ...animals can infect humans, resulting in sustained human-to-human transmission. Following a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection of a pet shop worker, animals in the shop and the warehouse supplying it were tested for evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In this case study, viral swabs and blood samples were collected from animals in a pet shop and its corresponding warehouse in Hong Kong. Nasal swab or saliva samples from human COVID-19 patients epidemiologically linked to the pet shop and from subsequent local cases confirmed to be infected by SARS-CoV-2 delta variant were collected. Oral swabs were tested by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) for SARS-CoV-2 and blood samples were serologically tested by a surrogate virus neutralisation test and plaque reduction neutralisation test. The SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR positive samples were sequenced by next generation viral full genome sequencing using the ISeq sequencing platform (Illumina), and the viral genomes were phylogenetically analysed.
Eight (50%) of 16 individually tested Syrian hamsters in the pet shop and seven (58%) of 12 Syrian hamsters in the corresponding warehouse were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection in RT-qPCR or serological tests. None of the dwarf hamsters (n=75), rabbits (n=246), guinea pigs (n=66), chinchillas (n=116), and mice (n=2) were confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2 in RT-qPCR tests. SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes deduced from human and hamster cases in this incident all belong to the delta variant of concern (AY.127) that had not been circulating locally before this outbreak. The viral genomes obtained from hamsters were phylogenetically related with some sequence heterogeneity. Phylogenetic dating suggests infection in these hamsters occurred around Oct 14, 2021 (95% CI Sept 15 to Nov 9, 2021). Multiple zoonotic transmission events to humans were detected, leading to onward human-to-human transmission.
Pet hamsters can be naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2. The virus can circulate among hamsters and lead to human infections. Both genetic and epidemiological results strongly suggest that there was more than one hamster-to-human transmission event in this study. This incident also led to onward human transmission. Importation of SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters was a likely source of this outbreak.
US National Institutes of Health, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Food and Health Bureau, and InnoHK.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people worldwide since its emergence in 2019. Knowing the potential capacity of the virus to adapt to other ...species, the serological surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in susceptible animals is important. Hong Kong and Seoul are two of Asia's most densely populated urban cities, where companion animals often live in close contact with humans. Sera collected from 1040 cats and 855 dogs during the early phase of the pandemic in Hong Kong and Seoul were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using an ELISA that detects antibodies against the receptor binding domain of the viral spike protein. Positive sera were also tested for virus neutralizing antibodies using a surrogate virus neutralization (sVNT) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Among feline sera, 4.51% and 2.54% of the samples from Korea and Hong Kong, respectively, tested ELISA positive. However, only 1.64% of the samples from Korea and 0.18% from Hong Kong tested positive by sVNT, while only 0.41% of samples from Korea tested positive by PRNT. Among canine samples, 4.94% and 6.46% from Korea and Hong Kong, respectively, tested positive by ELISA, while only 0.29% of sera from Korea were positive on sVNT and no canine sera tested positive by PRNT. These results confirm a low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in companion animals in Korea and Hong Kong. The discordance between the RBD-ELISA and neutralization tests may indicate possible ELISA cross-reactivity with other coronaviruses, especially in canine sera.
Introduction
Clostridioides
(
Clostridium
)
difficile
infection, the leading cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, represents a significant burden on global healthcare systems. Despite being a ...global issue, information on
C. difficile
from a global perspective is lacking. The aim of this study is to model the global phylogeography of clinical
C. difficile
.
Methods
Using samples collected from the MODIFY I and II studies (NCT01241552, NCT01513239), we performed whole-genome sequencing of 1501 clinical isolates including 37 novel sequence types (STs), representing the largest worldwide collection to date.
Results
Our data showed ribotypes, multi-locus sequence typing clades, and whole-genome phylogeny were in good accordance. The clinical
C. difficile
genome was found to be more conserved than previously reported (61% core genes), and modest recombination rates of 1.4–5.0 were observed across clades. We observed a significant continent distribution preference among five
C. difficile
clades (Benjamini-Hochberg corrected Fisher’s exact test
P
< 0.01); moreover, weak association between geographic and genetic distance among ribotypes suggested sources beyond healthcare-related transmission. Markedly different trends of antibiotic susceptibility among lineages and regions were identified, and three novel mutations (in pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate oxidase family protein: Tyr130Ser, Tyr130Cys, and a promoter SNP) associated with metronidazole-reduced susceptibility were discovered on a
nim
-related gene and its promotor by genome-wide association study. Toxin gene polymorphisms were shown to vary within and between prevalent ribotypes, and novel severe mutations were found on the tcdC toxin regulator protein.
Conclusion
Our systematic characterization of a global set of clinical trial
C. difficile
isolates from infected individuals demonstrated the complexity of the genetic makeup of this pathogenic organism. The geographic variability of clades, variability in toxin genes, and mutations associated with antibiotic susceptibility indicate a highly complex interaction of
C. difficile
between host and environment. This dataset will provide a useful resource for validation of findings and future research of
C. difficile
.
Canine SARS-CoV-2 infection Sit, Thomas HC; Brackman, Christopher J; Ip, Sin Ming ...
Nature (London),
05/2020, Letnik:
586, Številka:
7831
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
SARS-CoV-2 emerged in Wuhan in December 2019 and caused the pandemic respiratory disease, COVID-19.
1
,
2
In 2003, the closely related SARS-CoV had been detected in domestic cats and a dog.
3
...However, little is known about the susceptibility of domestic pet mammals to SARS-CoV-2. Two of 15 dogs from households with confirmed human cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong SAR were found to be infected using quantitative RT-PCR, serology, sequencing the viral genome, and in one dog, virus isolation. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in a 17 year-old neutered male Pomeranian from five nasal swabs collected over a 13 day period. A 2.5 yo male German Shepherd dog had SARS CoV-2 RNA on two occasions and virus was isolated from nasal and oral swabs. Both dogs had antibody responses detected using plaque reduction neutralisation assays. Viral genetic sequences of viruses from the two dogs were identical to the virus detected in the respective human cases. The animals remained asymptomatic during quarantine. The evidence suggests that these are instances of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2. It is unclear whether infected dogs can transmit the virus to other animals or back to humans.
The global epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is dominated by a limited number of clones. Here, we announce the draft genome sequences of two multidrug-resistant A. baumannii ...strains, 1H8 and 4A3, representing the major epidemic clones, sequence type 92 (ST92) and ST96, respectively.
Increasing consumption of nitrofurantoin (NIT) for treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) highlights the need to monitor emerging NIT resistance mechanisms. This study ...investigated the molecular epidemiology of the multidrug-resistant efflux gene oqxAB and its contribution to nitrofurantoin resistance by using Escherichia coli isolates originating from patients with UTI (n = 205; collected in 2004 to 2013) and food-producing animals (n = 136; collected in 2012 to 2013) in Hong Kong. The oqxAB gene was highly prevalent among NIT-intermediate (11.5% to 45.5%) and -resistant (39.2% to 65.5%) isolates but rare (0% to 1.7%) among NIT-susceptible (NIT-S) isolates. In our isolates, the oqxAB gene was associated with IS26 and was carried by plasmids of diverse replicon types. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that the clones of oqxAB-positive E. coli were diverse. The combination of oqxAB and nfsA mutations was found to be sufficient for high-level NIT resistance. Curing of oqxAB-carrying plasmids from 20 NIT-intermediate/resistant UTI isolates markedly reduced the geometric mean MIC of NIT from 168.9 μg/ml to 34.3 μg/ml. In the plasmid-cured variants, 20% (1/5) of isolates with nfsA mutations were NIT-S, while 80% (12/15) of isolates without nfsA mutations were NIT-S (P = 0.015). The presence of plasmid-based oqxAB increased the mutation prevention concentration of NIT from 128 μg/ml to 256 μg/ml and facilitated the development of clinically important levels of nitrofurantoin resistance. In conclusion, plasmid-mediated oqxAB is an important nitrofurantoin resistance mechanism. There is a great need to monitor the dissemination of this transferable multidrug-resistant efflux pump.
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