SARS-CoV-2 exposure in dogs before and after the largest COVID-19 wave in rural Guatemala, 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic disproportionately burdened low- and mid-income countries during many waves of high transmission, particularly in rural communities. We tested whether dogs from rural households were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 before and after the largest COVID-19 wave in Guatemala. We tested dogs in June and August 2022, before the rise and after the initial peak of the second Omicron wave, respectively. None of the 133 dogs tested (63 tested in June and 70 tested in August) had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in respiratory swabs. Three dogs in June and five dogs in August had neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Risk factor analysis showed that the largest COVID-19 wave in Guatemala did not increase dog exposure to SARS-CoV-2. However, dogs with outdoor access had higher odds of infection compared to indoors-only dogs. Public health interventions should provide education regarding pet roaming practices to mitigate the spread of zoonotic diseases in rural areas.