Screening of SARS-COV-2 target cells in livestock, poultry, pets and wild animal at single cell resolution

We detected the co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in pangolin, cat and pig covering distinct cell types in digestive, respiratory and urinatory system. Particularly, the proportion of SARS-COV-2 target cells in cat is much higher than other animals. In comparative lung atlas, we detected SARS-COV-2 target cells in specific cell populations of cat, hamster, goat, pig and lizard while the expression of ACE2 is very rare in poultry lung cells. We assume cat is an intermediate host with higher risk for SARS-COV2 infection than pangolin and hamster. Notably, SARS-COV-2 target cells were detected in multiple organs of pig. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully assess the risk of cats during current COVID pandemic and keep pigs under close monitoring for the possibility of becoming virus reservoirs in future coronavirus outbreak. Besides, goats also need to be investigated for the risk of SARS-COV2 transmission.