The pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has focused the attention of researchers, and especially public opinion, on the role of the human-animal-environment interface in disease emergence. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, media reports regarding the role of pets in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused significant concern and social anxiety. Although nowadays proven negligible in developed countries, essentially no studies have been performed in low-income African areas where companion animals are often raised differently from high income countries, and the contact patterns occurring in these scenarios could affect the epidemiological scenario. An extensive molecular biology survey was performed from March 2022 to September 2022 on Namibian dogs residing in urban and rural areas, showing a low but not negligible SARS-CoV-2 prevalence (1%; 95CI: 0.33–2.32%) of 5 out of 500. In only one instance (i.e., a 4-year-old female Labrador) was there a clear association that could be established between the infections of the owner and animal. In all other cases, no evidence of human infection could be obtained and no episodes of COVID-19 were reported by the owners. Although no consistent evidence of pet-to-pet transmission was proven in the present study, a cautionary principle suggests intensive and dedicated investigation into companion animal populations, especially when animal contact is frequent and a particularly susceptible population is present.

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) infects domestic and wild psittacine species and is able to cause progressive beak, claw and feather malformation and necrosis. In addition to having an impact on the health and welfare of domesticated birds, BFDV represents a significant threat to wild endangered species. Understanding the epidemiology, dynamics, viral migration rate, interaction between wild and domestic animals and the effect of implemented control strategies is fundamental in controlling the spread of the disease. With this in mind, a phylodynamic and phylogeographic analysis has been performed on a database of more than 400 replication‐associated protein (Rep) gene (ORF1) sequences downloaded from Genbank including some recently generated sequences from fifteen samples collected in Namibia. The results allowed us to reconstruct the variation of viral population size and demonstrated the effect of enforced international bans on these dynamics. A good correlation was found between viral migration rate and the intensity of animal trade between regions over time. A dominant flux of viral strains was observed from wild to domestic populations, highlighting the directionality of viral transmission and the risk associated with the capturing and trade of wild birds. Nevertheless, the flow of viruses from domestic to wild species was not negligible and should be considered as a threat to biodiversity. Therefore, considering the strong relationship demonstrated in this study between animal trade and BFDV viral fluxes more effort should be made to prevent contact opportunities between wild and domestic populations from different countries in order to control disease spread.

Canine circovirus (CanineCV) is a DNA virus affecting domestic dogs and other wild carnivore species. Despite the potential implications for dogs' health and wildlife conservation, data on CanineCV presence, epidemiology and genetic features from Africa is still poor. In the present study, biological specimens collected between 2020 and 2022 from a total of 32 jackals and 575 domestic dogs were tested for the presence of CanineCV DNA to evaluate its frequency. Furthermore, sequencing was conducted on positive samples to characterize the strains and compare them with publicly available sequences through phylogenetic analysis. A high CanineCV prevalence was observed both in jackals (43.75%; 95 CI: 28.17% - 60.67%) and domestic dogs (27.13%; 95 CI: 23.66% - 30.91%). All aside from one Namibian strain formed an independent clade, suggestive of extremely rare introduction events, followed by local persistence, circulation, and evolution. Remarkably, different recombination events were observed involving strains from both jackals and domestic dogs, which testify to the likely strain exchange between these populations. Distinctive amino acid residues were also observed in jackals. The limitations of the considered host populations however prevent a definitive conclusion on host adaptation, biological, and clinical features. Further studies should be performed to expand our current knowledge of the CanineCV disease scenario in Namibia, other African regions, and associated host species in Africa.