Susceptibility of Ferret and Cat to Porcine Deltacoronavirus: Evidence of Infection in Ferrets But Not Cats

Abstract

Coronaviruses (CoVs) cause gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders and have a wide host range. Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an enteropathogenic CoV and a member of the Deltacoronavirus (δ-CoV) genus and was discovered in 2012. With a high fatality rate, PDCoV is primarily responsible for severe diarrhea in pigs, especially in newborn piglets, and has been reported worldwide since the first outbreak in 2014. PDCoV is confirmed as a zoonotic virus, and one of the few CoVs currently known to infect both birds and mammals, including humans. Infection studies have demonstrated the susceptibility of mice and calves to PDCoV, but little is known about its transmission in other mammals. Before it was reported in pigs, deltacoronavruses had been reported in ferret badgers and Asian leopard cats in China in 2007. This implies the possibility that wild mustelids and feline species contribute to the virus’s spread. In this study, we investigated the susceptibility of ferrets and domestic cats to PDCoV. The results revealed that ferrets can be infected with PDCoV, while cats cannot. In ferrets, viral RNA was detected in the intestines, parenchymal organs, and feces. Histopathological analysis showed no visible lesions in the intestine of infected ferret and cat. Neither infected ferrets nor cats exhibited any clinical signs of diarrhea, but seroconversion occurred in ferrets 14 days post-inoculation (dpi). In brief, ferrets may play a significant role in the interspecies transmission of PDCoV. Our study expands the known host range of PDCoV and provides valuable insights into the interspecies transmission of the virus.