Genetic virus tests have suggested that the transmission of COVID-19 from pet owners to their pets has been documented for the first time in the United States. This research study was published in One Health by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
The lead author of the study said that the researchers who were involved with the Arizona case study found that a parent pet and its two pets have been infected with the coronavirus. These pets were infected with an identical strain of COVID-19, titled B.1.575. B.1.575 coronavirus is an early version of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus which has instigated coronavirus.
The author further stated that the researchers were using a whole genomic sequence, which is a laboratory technique that looks like the Genetic makeup, of the coronavirus from samples of humans and pets. This study is among one of the five countrywide pilot studies that are finding coronavirus contaminations in the animals.
For this study, the researchers collected Genetic samples from swabs of a dog, a cat, and their owners. The results of the study show that the Genetic makeup of the coronavirus detected in the pets and their owner were identical, which recommends the possible zoonotic spread of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to at least one of their households pets.
The author further added that both the animals were asymptomatic but they were in very close contact with their owner who was an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient. The researchers also believe that there is no evidence about the transmission of the COVID-19 from animals to their pet owners.
