The Corona pandemic is a concern for all of us and is currently affecting our lives to an unexpected degree. We can see that there is a great deal of uncertainty and that there are many questions. Together with research institutions around the world, the Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) is also trying to provide scientifically sound answers to these questions.
At FBN we aim at better understanding animals and investigate the requirements and possibilities of animal-, environment- and climate-friendly farm animal husbandry. Currently, we keep cattle, pigs, chickens, fish, mice and even insects. We are also responsible for the care of our animals and have taken appropriate precautions for this. We consider the official regulations and implement them (adapted personnel and shift planning, contact reduction, distance requirements, emergency plans).
The current global crisis makes it clear to us that sustainably managed agriculture here on site is essential for a reliable supply of safe food. This is also shown by the approval of the agricultural and food industry as a system-relevant infrastructure by the Federal Cabinet on 23 March 2020.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a family of RNA (ribonucleic acid) viruses. They are common in both animals and humans and cause diseases such as colds and severe respiratory diseases, but also gastroenteritis and diarrhoea or general illnesses. But there are a number of different corona viruses that differ significantly in many properties, such as their disease- and immune-boosting effect, infectiousness and host spectrum.
There have already been globally spread infectious diseases with coronaviruses in humans before. For these pandemics, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (caused by SARS-CoV; pandemic 2003) as well as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (caused by MERS-CoV; pandemic 2012), CoV that originally occurred in animals (SARS-CoV of civet cats; MERS-CoV of dromedary camels; [1]) have been identified as causative.
The current pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 (official name of the virus by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV)) is also due to the fact that the virus has overcome the species barrier. Mutations, i.e. accidental changes in the genetic material of the virus (RNA), have probably caused a virus originally found in bats to become infectious and dangerous for humans, either directly or indirectly via other intermediate hosts [2, 3]. However, this still needs to be fully clarified. For SARS-CoV-2, human-to-human transmission is the pathway for the spread of the disease COVID-19 (designation of the infectious disease by SARS-CoV-2).
Are our pets and farm animals a source of infection with SARS-CoV-2? Or can we infect our animals?
According to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, there is currently no evidence that farm animals can become infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, transmit the virus or spread it further. So far, genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been detected in very small traces in two cases in dogs that have had very close contact with infected persons ([4] OIE reports).
Hygiene measures when dealing with pets, such as washing hands before and after contact with pets, avoiding kissing and licking, should always be followed. It is also recommended that people suffering from COVID-19 avoid close contact with pets.
Our farm animals - cattle, pigs and poultry - also suffer from infectious diseases caused by corona viruses. There is currently no evidence that farm animals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 or that they play a role in the transmission of the virus. The FLI on the Isle of Riems is carrying out a series of scientific experiments that will finally clarify the susceptibility of animals to SARS-CoV-2. However, first results are not expected before the end of April 2020. It goes without saying that the above-mentioned hygiene measures also apply when handling farm animals.
Based on the information currently available, trade restrictions on animals or animal products are not recommended. A transmission of the virus through food is considered unlikely by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
- de Wit, E., van Doremalen, N., Falzarano, D. et al. SARS and MERS: recent insights into emerging coronaviruses. Nat Rev Microbiol 14, 523–534 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro.2016.81
- Zhou P, Yang XL, Wang XG, Hu B, Zhang L, Zhang W, Si HR, Zhu Y, Li B, Huang CL, Chen HD, Chen J, Luo Y, Guo H, Jiang RD, Liu MQ, Chen Y, Shen XR, Wang X, Zheng XS, Zhao K, Chen QJ, Deng F, Liu LL, Yan B, Zhan FX, Wang YY, Xiao GF, Shi ZL. A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin. Nature. 2020 Mar;579(7798):270-273. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2012-7. Epub 2020 Feb 3. PubMed PMID: 32015507.
- Li C, Yang Y, Ren L. Genetic evolution analysis of 2019 novel coronavirus and coronavirus from other species. Infect Genet Evol. 2020 Mar 10;82:104285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104285. [Epub ahead of print]; PMID: 32169673
- OIE (Organisation Mondiale de la Santé Animale), World Organisation for Animal Health https://www.oie.int/en/scientific-expertise/specific-information-and-recommendations/questions-and-answers-on-2019novel-coronavirus/; access March 27, 2020
Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)
Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf
Director: Prof. Dr. Klaus Wimmers
T +49 38208-68 600
E wimmers{at}fbn-dummerstorf.de