SARS-CoV-2 Zoonotic Potential: Current Knowledge and Hypotheses

SARS-CoV-2 zoonotic potential is discussed in this Chapter. COVID-19 demonstrates the failure of biosafety and security systems and safeguards that should prevent a global pandemic of this emergency. According to researchers, zoonotic diseases will continue to cross the animal-human barrier causing the additional risks for emergency. SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic spread covered over 800 million cats and dogs kept as pets worldwide, as well as large segment of animal farming industry, that raises concerns of domestic and farmed animals in general and carnivores in particular, becoming an epidemiologically relevant animal source for COVID‐19. SARS‐CoV‐2 control strategies have to pay attention to the close interaction between humans and companion or farmed animals contributes to human infections. The SARS‐CoV‐2 mitigation strategies have to take into the account the existing zoonotic transmission, and should be developed in a One Health framework, implementing molecular and serological surveillance as well as epidemiological assessment of SARS‐CoV‐2 occurrence in domestic and farmed animals alongside humans.