SARS-CoV-2 emerged from animals and is now easily transmitted between people. Sporadic detection of natural cases in animals alongside successful experimental infections of pets, such as cats, ferrets and dogs, raises questions about the susceptibility of animals under natural conditions of pet ownership. Here, we report a large-scale study to assess SARS-CoV-2 infection in 919 companion animals living in northern Italy, sampled at a time of frequent human infection. No animals tested PCR positive. However, 3.3% of dogs and 5.8% of cats had measurable SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers, with dogs from COVID-19 positive households being significantly more likely to test positive than those from COVID-19 negative households. Understanding risk factors associated with this and their potential to infect other species requires urgent investigation.

The scientific community has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by rapidly undertaking research to find effective strategies to reduce the burden of this disease. Encouragingly, researchers from a diverse array of fields are collectively working towards this goal. Research with infectious SARS-CoV-2 is undertaken in high containment laboratories, however, it is often desirable to work with samples at lower containment levels. To facilitate the transfer of infectious samples from high containment laboratories, we have tested methods commonly used to inactivate virus and prepare the sample for additional experiments. Incubation at 80°C, a range of detergents, Trizol reagents and UV energies were successful at inactivating a high titre of SARS-CoV-2. Methanol and paraformaldehyde incubation of infected cells also inactivated the virus. These protocols can provide a framework for in house inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in other laboratories, ensuring the safe use of samples in lower containment levels.

18The scientific community has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by rapidly undertaking 19 research to find effective strategies to reduce the burden of this disease. Encouragingly, 20 researchers from a diverse array of fields are collectively working towards this goal. Research 21 with infectious SARS-CoV-2 is undertaken in high containment laboratories, however, it is 22 often desirable to work with samples at lower containment levels. To facilitate the transfer of 23 infectious samples from high containment laboratories, we have tested methods commonly 24 used to inactivate virus and prepare the sample for additional experiments. Incubation at 80°C, 25 and a range of detergents and UV energies were successful at inactivating a high titre of 26 SARS-CoV-2. These protocols can provide a framework for in house inactivation of SARS-27CoV-2 in other laboratories, ensuring the safe use of samples in lower containment levels. 28 29

In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic there has been an increase of the use of antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT). The performance of Ag-RDT vary greatly between manufacturers and evaluating their analytical limit of detection (LOD) has become high priority. Here we describe a manufacturer-independent evaluation of the LOD of 19 marketed Ag-RDT using live SARS-CoV-2 spiked in different matrices: direct culture supernatant, a dry swab, and a swab in Amies. Additionally, the LOD using dry swab was investigated after 7 days’ storage at − 80 °C of the SARS-CoV-2 serial dilutions. An LOD of ≈ 5.0 × 102 pfu/ml (1.0 × 106 genome copies/ml) in culture media is defined as acceptable by the World Health Organization. Fourteen of 19 Ag-RDTs (ActiveXpress, Espline, Excalibur, Innova, Joysbio, Mologic, NowCheck, Orient, PanBio, RespiStrip, Roche, Standard-F, Standard-Q and Sure-Status) exceeded this performance criteria using direct culture supernatant applied to the Ag-RDT. Six Ag-RDT were not compatible with Amies media and a decreased sensitivity of 2 to 20-fold was observed for eleven tests on the stored dilutions at − 80 °C for 7 days. Here, we provide analytical sensitivity data to guide appropriate test and sample type selection for use and for future Ag-RDT evaluations.