No indication for SARS-CoV-2 transmission to pet ferrets, in five cities in Poland, 2021 - antibody testing among ferrets living with owners infected with SARS-CoV-2 or free of infection.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in China by the end of 2019 and was responsible for a pandemic in the human population that resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the role of animals as spill-over or reservoir hosts was discussed. In addition to cats and dogs, ferrets are becoming increasingly popular as companion animals. Under experimental conditions, ferrets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and it appears that they can also be infected through contact with a SARS-CoV-2 positive owner. However, there is still little information available regarding these natural infections. Here, we serologically tested samples collected from pet ferrets (n = 45) from Poland between June and September 2021. Of the ferrets that were included in the study, 29% (13/45) had contact with owners with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. Nevertheless, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies could not be detected in any of the animals, independent of the infection status of the owner. The obtained results suggest that ferrets cannot be readily infected with SARS-CoV-2 under natural conditions, even after prolonged contact with infected humans. However, due to the rapid mutation rate of this virus, it is important to include ferrets in future monitoring studies.

Does Aleutian Disease Occur among Domestic Ferrets in Poland? Results of Preliminary Studies Conducted in Two Regions of Poland.

Although ferrets are becoming increasingly popular as companion animals, their population in households is still far lower compared to cats or dogs. This results in a much smaller number of ferret specialists, and thus poorer diagnosis of various diseases, including the Aleutian disease. Aleutian disease is a slowly progressing viral disease which can cause different symptoms in these animals. The virus can also cause symptoms in different species of animals, but in the case of ferrets, there is relatively less information on about both the prevalence and symptoms of this disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the presence of antibodies and the virus itself in ferrets from two regions of Poland. Blood samples and rectal swabs were obtained from 61 domestic ferrets from Mazowieckie and Dolnoslaskie voivodships. The presence of antibodies was determined using serological methods and real-time PCR analysis was performed to determine presence of viral DNA. Serological analyses demonstrated that 49% (n = 30) of the ferrets had antibodies against Aleutian disease virus (ADV). No relationship was observed between the prevalence of antibodies and age, sex, habitual residence or origin of ferrets. The real-time PCR did not confirm DNA of the ADV in any of the blood and rectal swab samples. Obtained results suggest that ADV circulates in the analyzed population of ferrets, therefore further studies in this direction should be carried out.