Uso del péptido recombinante D+E (L230 -A419) de la nucleoproteína del virus SARS-CoV-2 para la detección de anticuerpos en caninos (Canis lupus familiaris) potencialmente expuestos a COVID-19

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the use of the recombinant peptide D+E (L230 - A 419) of the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein for the detection of antibodies in canines (Canis lupus familiaris) potentially exposed to COVID-19. For the above, 30 blood serum samples collected pre-pandemic and 30 post-pandemic were used, they were collected from canines without considering race, age and sex, only having had close coexistence with people diagnosed as COVID-19 positive. In the assays used for the detection of indirect ELISA and Western Blot antibodies, it was possible to demonstrate the presence of anti-peptide D+E (L230 -A 419) antibodies in post-pandemic sera (indirect ELISA/Western Blot, 34/5 of 34). However, the presence of antibodies was also found in the sera collected in the pre-pandemic period (28/12 of 29). This suggests a previous exposure of the dogs from which the pre-pandemic sera were collected, to an antigen similar to the D+E peptide (L230 -A 419), probably from a possible bovine Betacoronavirus, because the canines lived with animals. of this species, therefore, the recombinant peptide turned out to be non-specific for detecting antibodies. Therefore, for future research, the search for other antigens is suggested in order to identify a more specific one for the serological diagnosis of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in canines that live closely with people.