Living with a dog and shopping with home delivery, risk factors during confinement in Spain, according to a study carried out by researchers from the ibs.GRANADA

A study carried out by researchers from the ibs.GRANADA has analyzed which were the main risk factors in the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the period of maximum confinement in Spain, which occurred between the months of March and May 2020.

This work has been published in the journal Environmental Research and points out that living with a dog and shopping with home delivery in supermarkets were two of the sociodemographic variables that most increased the risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease in these months: a 78% more in the case of living with a dog, and 94% in the case of home shopping.

The authors see the need for dog owners to take extreme hygiene measures for these animals, since it is not clear yet whether their owners were infected because the animal was the host of the virus (and transmitted it), or because they had taken it out. for a walk.

As explained by the main author of this work, the researcher at the ibs.GRANADA and member of the group MP06-CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCESCristina Sánchez González, "Given the rapid spread of the virus even under lockdown, we believe it is necessary to study the sociodemographic characteristics, habits, and comorbidities of SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to implement prevention strategies."

To do this, the researchers designed a survey where the variables of interest were collected during the confinement period that could explain the exponential spread of the virus, despite the more restrictive mobility conditions implemented.

Dr. Maria José Sánchez Pérez, researcher at the Andalusian School of Public Health and head of the group, also participates in the study. A17-CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY .

Study with 2.086 individuals

This study, carried out throughout the Spanish territory, sought to clarify other routes of transmission of the Covid-19 disease during confinement, risk factors and effectiveness of hygiene measures recommended by the authorities, in order to detect critical points of exposure to the virus and thus reduce its spread in this pandemic and possible future events that could compromise public health.

The surveyed population (2086 individuals) was 41% people between 40 and 54 years old, with undergraduate (44%) and postgraduate (32%) university studies, in which the prevalence of the disease was 4.7%.

The results showed that living with a Covid-19 patient increases the risk of suffering from the disease 60 times. In addition, among all the sociodemographic variables analyzed, the one that exerted the most powerful effect increasing the risk of contracting the disease by up to 78% was living with a dog and taking it for a walk. However, having cats or other types of pets did not have a significant effect on the prevalence of the disease.

"The results of our research also point to a higher rate of infection among dog owners, and the reason for this higher prevalence remains to be elucidated. Given the current lack of resources available to diagnose SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans, the possibility of diagnosis in dogs is extremely unlikely," explains Sánchez González.

These results point to living with dogs as a strong risk factor for COVID-19 infection, although further studies are needed to determine whether the reason for this intense increase in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is due to transmission between humans and dogs, the concept of the dog as a vehicle or the increase in contact with other vehicles (that is, objects or surfaces where the virus is present), by increasing exposure to the virus due to the unhygienic behaviors and habits of dogs in the street and his subsequent return home.

"There are several international studies that have obtained similar results to ours regarding coronavirus infections in dogs, but it is necessary to delve deeper into this topic and determine whether this prevalence of the virus in dog owners is due to one reason or another," explains the ibs researcher. GRANADA.

Cristina Sánchez warns that, "in the midst of a pandemic and in the absence of an effective treatment or vaccine, preventive hygiene measures are the only salvation, and these measures should also be applied to dogs, which, according to our study, directly or indirectly appear to increase the risk of contracting the virus."

The researcher also points out that "from a scientific perspective, there is no justification for children's playgrounds to remain closed to prevent infection, but not for dog parks, where there are many objects that can act as vehicles for SARS-CoV-2. At the same time, fecal transmission of the virus should not be ruled out."

Disinfect supermarket products

In this study, the effect of variables such as sex, age, educational level, type of residence, number of people living in the home, the fact of living with children or adolescents, the fact of living with children or adolescents, did not reach statistical significance. having had domestic workers during confinement or having any type of pet other than a dog.

The most effective hygiene measure to reduce the prevalence of the disease was applying disinfection to products purchased on the market upon arrival at home (which reduced the risk by 94%), above other hygiene measures, such as the use of masks, gloves, disinfection with ethanol, bleach, disinfecting shoes and washing clothes when returning home.

The mobility variables studied that had the greatest effect on increasing the prevalence of the disease were face-to-face work (which increased the risk by 76%), and the use of public transport, specifically the subway or tram. A higher prevalence of the disease was also detected among those surveyed who used the method of purchasing basic products with home delivery compared to those who did it in person (the risk increased by 94% among the former).

The authors emphasize that it is an epidemiological study, in which mechanisms are not addressed and causal relationships cannot be established. This is a descriptive study, and in it the study variables are statistically associated with prevalence.

Source: Granada Today. 09/10/2020.

Link to the news: https://www.granadahoy.com/granada/perro-contagio-coronavirus-Universidad-Granada_0_1508849532.html