Molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic cats in close contact with positively-infected owners in Tehran, Iran in 2021.

Objectives: In 2019, COVID-19 emerged in China and has since spread worldwide. Owing to the virus's ability to adhere to specific receptors, cats are susceptible to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The popularity of pet cats in Iran has sparked fears of human-cat-human transmission of the virus. This study aimed to identify positive cases in cats owned by people infected with SARS-CoV-2, to determine if they remained positive for >3 weeks and to examine the virus genome isolated from a number of cats and one of their owners. Methods: A total of 30 cats were sampled approximately 3 days after their owners tested positive (day 1), and 3 weeks later, in strict accordance with health regulations. Rectal and oropharyngeal samples were collected. All samples were subjected to a qualitative PCR and reverse transcription PCR. The S-gene region was partially sequenced in positive samples and the results were used to create a phylogenetic tree. Results: SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 7/30 (23.3%) cats examined. In the third week, every cat tested negative. The sequence data of positive cats and one of their owners revealed that the retrieved RNAs belonged to the alpha variation. The genetic distance between the samples and the reference sequence (20I/B.1.1.7: OM003849, MZ344997) was minimal, with a 99% similarity. Positive samples of cats had four mutations in gene S. Amino acid substitutions in the spike glycoprotein at positions N501Y, A570D, D614G and P681H were recorded in the isolates compared with 780 other sequences of Iranian strains. Conclusions and relevance: This study confirmed the presence of SARS-CoV-2-infected cats living in close contact with infected owners. Despite cats' susceptibility to COVID-19, the risk of severe infection in these animals is low, as evidenced by the lack of clinical signs in positive cats.

Whole-genome characterization of avian picornaviruses from diarrheic broiler chickens co-infected with multiple picornaviruses in Iran.

Gastrointestinal symptoms in poultry are caused by several factors, such as infecting viruses. Several avian picornaviruses can cause diarrhea in these valuable animals. Poultry flocks in Iran suffer from gastrointestinal diseases, and information on picornaviruses is limited. In this study, two genera of avian picornaviruses were isolated from poultry and identified by the viral metagenomics. Fecal samples were collected from broiler chicken flocks affected with diarrhea from Gilan province Iran. The results showed that Eastern chicken flocks carried two genera of picornaviridae belonging to Sicinivirus A (SiV A) and Megrivirus C (MeV C). The Western chicken flocks carried SiV A based on whole-genome sequencing data. SiV A had type II IRES and MeV C contained a type IVB IRES 5'UTR. Phylogenetic results showed that all these three picornaviruses were similar to the Hungarian isolates. Interestingly, two different picornavirus genera were simultaneously co-infected with Eastern flocks. This phenomenon could increase and facilitate the recombination and evolution rate of picornaviruses and consequently cause this diversity of gastrointestinal diseases in poultry. This is the first report and complete genome sequencing of Sicinivirus and Megrivirus in Iran. Further studies are needed to evaluate the pathogenic potential of these picornaviruses.

Complete genome sequence of Himetobi P strain Sh.Moghaddam, isolated from the Laodelphax striatellus (small brown planthopper).

OBJECTIVE: Himetobi P virus (HiPV) is an insect virus belonging to the genus Cripavirus in the Dicistroviridae family within the Picornavirales order. Himetobi P strain. Sh.Moghaddam is the first study reported, was isolated from the Laodelphax striatellus (small brown planthopper) of an internal chicken organ in Iran. DATA DESCRIPTION: Genomic analysis showed a nucleotide identity of 93.16% with the family Dicistroviridae, genus Triatovirus, and species Himetobi P. The genome assembly comprised 9227 bp, with a 38.8% GC content. Annotation of the genome showed 2 ORF, a total of 2 genes: including 2 coding sequences (CDs) (total) and 8 Miss features. Thus, the whole-genome sequence presented in this study serves as a platform for detecting new genes that may contribute to the pathogenicity of the Himetobi P strain. Sh.Moghaddam.