SARS-CoV-2 can naturally and experimentally infect several animal species, both domestic and wild and also laboratory animals. Compared to humans, animals infected by SARS-CoV-2 may show a plethora of clinical signs and lesions that reflects a very specific pathogenesis. Animals are susceptible of infection by other Coronaviruses: some of them may cause a very severe and, sometimes, lethal disease while in other instances they are responsible of mild clinical symptoms with a good prognosis. So far, there is a wide scientific literature that describe and inform about the pathogenesis, the virus-related macroscopic and microscopic lesions and also the clinical and therapeutic approaches of Coronavirus infection in animals. However, there is still a lack of information about the “comparative” aspects of Coronavirus infection in each susceptible species. We believe that comparative studies that will focus on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, immunological response and therapy of SARS-CoV-2 and other Coronaviruses infection in animals will provide vital and pivotal information for the human diseases.
SARS-CoV-2 can naturally and experimentally infect several animal species, both domestic and wild and also laboratory animals. Compared to humans, animals infected by SARS-CoV-2 may show a plethora of clinical signs and lesions that reflects a very specific pathogenesis. Animals are susceptible of infection by other Coronaviruses: some of them may cause a very severe and, sometimes, lethal disease while in other instances they are responsible of mild clinical symptoms with a good prognosis. So far, there is a wide scientific literature that describe and inform about the pathogenesis, the virus-related macroscopic and microscopic lesions and also the clinical and therapeutic approaches of Coronavirus infection in animals. However, there is still a lack of information about the “comparative” aspects of Coronavirus infection in each susceptible species. We believe that comparative studies that will focus on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, immunological response and therapy of SARS-CoV-2 and other Coronaviruses infection in animals will provide vital and pivotal information for the human diseases.