Studying Covid Antibodies in Pets: Dr. Anne Kimmerlein and Dr. Christian Leutenegger

On this 60th episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Kerl welcomes Dr. Anne Kimmerlein and Dr. Christian Leutenegger to discuss their pivotal study on the occurrence of COVID-19 antibodies in pets. Listen in as they share their journeys in veterinary medicine, the challenges faced in conducting a nationwide study, and their significant findings that reveal the infection rates of Covid-19 in dogs and cats. This conversation emphasizes the importance of One Health, the interconnectedness of human and animal health, and the need for collaboration in veterinary research. You can read more in depth about their work in this article mentioned in the podcast. 

Key Takeaways:

• Veterinary epidemiology is crucial in understanding zoonotic diseases.
• The study revealed that 33% of dogs and 27% of cats were infected with COVID-19.
• Antibody testing is essential for understanding historical infections in pets.
• Collaboration between veterinary professionals enhances research outcomes.
• One Health emphasizes the link between human, animal, and environmental health.
• The study's large sample size provided confidence in the findings.
• Pets can serve as vectors for diseases, highlighting the need for preventive care.
• Innovative methodologies were developed to facilitate nationwide research.
• Community engagement was vital for the success of the study.
• Future research should focus on early warning systems for outbreaks in pets.

About our guests: 

Dr. Anne Kimmerlein received her DVM degree from the University of Minnesota. She holds a Masters of Preventive Veterinary Medicine from UC Davis and is a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Dr. Kimmerlein began her veterinary career as an animal shelter veterinarian and remains passionate about increasing access to veterinary care and reducing pet overpopulation. She lives in Sacramento, CA where she volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a foster youth and enjoys cycling, baking, and caring for her extensive orchid collection.

Dr. Christian M. Leutenegger graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland in 1992. He completed a doctoral thesis developing recombinant vaccines for FIV. After a postdoctoral course in medical science, he completed a PhD testing the first DNA vaccines in veterinary medicine. He developed a strong interest in molecular immunology and virology and started to develop early protocols for DNA quantification using real-time PCR. In 1999, he founded the Real-time PCR Research and Diagnostics Core Facility at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis and expanded services until 2006. After 13 years at IDEXX Laboratories introducing standardized molecular diagnostics in the veterinary industry, he joined Antech Diagnostics to expand the molecular testing portfolio. He has an extensive network of collaborators and published over 250 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters.

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