Search Results (19)

One of the main threats for the survival of the Iberian lynx is infectious disease. Feline parvoviruses cause often fatal diseases in cats and have been isolated from different species of Felidae and other carnivores. The present study is the first description of a parvoviral sequence isolated from the brain of an Iberian lynx which died four weeks after being transferred to a quarantine centre from a hunting estate in Castilla-La-Mancha (southern border of the Iberian plateau). Four days prior to death, it had developed anorexia and muscle weakness. The nucleotide sequence, at 4589 nt long (GenBank PP781551), was most proximal to that isolated from a Eurasian badger in Italy but also showed great homology with others from cats and other carnivores isolated in Spain and Italy, including that from a cat sequenced by us to elucidate the origin of the infection, which has not been clarified. The phylogenetic analysis of the capsid protein, VP2, which determines tropism and host range, confirmed that the lynx sequence was most proximal to feline than to canine parvoviruses, and was thus typed as Protoparvovirus carnivoran1. More studies, including serology, are needed to understand the pathogenesis of this infection. Full article

Carnivore protoparvovirus-1, feline parvovirus (FPV), and canine parvovirus (CPV) continue to spread in companion animals all over the world. As a result, FPV and CPV underwent host-to-host transfer in carnivorous wild-animal hosts. Here, a total of 82 fecal samples of suspected cat FPV infections were collected from Henan Province from 2020 to 2022. The previously published full-length sequence primers of VP2 and NS1 genes were used to amplify the targeted genes of these samples, and the complete gene sequences of 11 VP2 and 21 NS1 samples were obtained and analyzed. Analysis showed that the amino acid homology of the VP2 and NS1 genes of these isolates was 96.1–100% and 97.6–100%, respectively. The phylogenetic results showed that the VP2 and NS1 genes of the local isolates were mainly concentrated in the G1 subgroup, while the vaccine strains were distributed in the G3 subgroup. Finally, F81 cells were inoculated with the local endemic isolate Luoyang-01 (FPV-LY strain for short) for virus amplification, purification, and titer determination, and the pathogenesis of FPV-LY was detected. After five generations of blind transmission in F81 cells, cells infected with FPV-LY displayed characteristic morphological changes, including a round, threadlike, and wrinkled appearance, indicative of viral infection. The virus titer associated with this cytopathic effect (CPE) was measured at 1.5 × 10⁶ TCID₅₀/mL. Subsequent animal regression tests confirmed that the virus titer of the PFV-LY isolate remained at 1.5 × 10⁶ TCID₅₀/mL, indicating its highly pathogenic nature. Cats exposed to the virus exhibited typical clinical symptoms and pathological changes, ultimately succumbing to the infection. These results suggest that the gene mutation rate of FPV is increasing, resulting in a complex pattern of gene evolution in terms of host preference, geographical selection, and novel genetic variants. The data also indicate that continuous molecular epidemiological surveillance is required to understand the genetic diversity of FPV isolates. Full article

Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a member of the species Protoparvovirus carnivoran1, is one of the most fatal pathogens of domestic and wild carnivores. The virus endemically infects domestic carnivores worldwide and its cross-species transmission threatens endangered wild carnivores, including Siberian tigers. In this study, a fatal FPV infection in endangered Siberian tigers was investigated to trace the origin of the virus and elucidate the reason behind FPV’s infection of the vaccinated tigers. Our genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus detected in the infected tigers, designated as the KTPV-2305 strain, was closely related to FPV strains circulating in Korean cats, suggesting that it might have been transmitted from stray cats wandering around the zoo. Compared with the prototype FPV reference strains, the KTPV-2305 strain carried three distinct amino acid (aa) mutations in the VP2 protein sequence (I101T, I232V, and L562V) in this study. These three mutations are commonly found in most global FPV strains, including Korean strains, indicating that these mutations are common evolutionary characteristics of currently circulating global FPVs. The reason why the vaccinated tigers were infected with FPV was most likely the insufficient protective immunity of the affected tigress or vaccine failure triggered by the interference of maternal-derived antibodies in the affected tiger cubs. These findings suggest that improved vaccination guidelines are urgently needed to save the lives of wild carnivores from this fatal virus. Full article

Animal trade favors the spreading of emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Concerns have been previously expressed regarding the risks of dog trade in spreading zoonotic pathogens in Nigeria. However, the role of these dogs in disseminating highly pathogenic canine viruses has not yet been explored. The present study aimed to identify selected canine viruses in dogs traded for meat consumption in Nigeria. A total of 100 blood samples were screened for carnivore protoparvovirus-1 (CPPV-1), canine adenovirus 1/2 (CAdV-1/2), canine circovirus (CaCV), and canine distemper virus (CDV) by using real-time PCR and conventional PCR and/or sequencing. CPPV-1 DNA was identified in 83% of canine samples while CaCV DNA and CDV RNA were detected in 14% and 17% of the dog samples, respectively. None of the dogs tested positive for CAdV-1/2. The CaCVs identified in this study clustered along with other European, Asian, and American strains. Moreover, CDV strains identified in Nigeria clustered in a separate lineage with the closest genetic relatedness to the Europe–South America-1 clade. Further surveys prior to and after arrival of dogs at the slaughtering points are required to clarify the real virus burden in these animals. Full article

In Europe, raccoons are invasive neozoons with their largest population in Germany. Globally, this mesocarnivore acts as a wildlife reservoir for many (non-)zoonotic (re-)emerging pathogens, but very little epidemiological data is available for southwest Germany. This exploratory study aimed to screen free-ranging raccoons in Baden-Wuerttemberg (BW, Germany) for the occurrence of selected pathogens with One Health relevance. Organ tissue and blood samples collected from 102 animals, obtained by hunters in 2019 and 2020, were subsequently analysed for two bacterial and four viral pathogens using a qPCR approach. Single samples were positive for the carnivore protoparvovirus-1 (7.8%, n = 8), canine distemper virus (6.9%, n = 7), pathogenic Leptospira spp. (3.9%, n = 4) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (15.7%, n = 16). West Nile virus and influenza A virus were not detected. Due to their invasive behaviour and synanthropic habit, raccoons may increase the risk of infections for wildlife, domestic animals, zoo animals and humans by acting as a link between them. Therefore, further studies should be initiated to evaluate these risks. Full article

The illegal trade of animals poses several health issues to the global community, among which are the underestimated risk for spillover infection and the potential for an epizootic in both wildlife and domestic naïve populations. We herein describe the genetic and antigenic characterization of viruses of the specie Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 detected at high prevalence in puppies illegally introduced in North Eastern Italy and compared them with those circulating in wild carnivores from the same area. We found evidence of a wide diversity of canine parvoviruses (CPV-2) belonging to different antigenic types in illegally imported pups. In wildlife, we found a high circulation of feline parvovirus (FPV) in golden jackals and badgers, whereas CPV-2 was observed in one wolf only. Although supporting a possible spillover event, the low representation of wolf samples in the present study prevented us from inferring the origin, prevalence and viral diversity of the viruses circulating in this species. Therefore, we suggest performing more thorough investigations before excluding endemic CPV-2 circulation in this species. Full article

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is an infectious agent relevant to domestic and wild carnivorans. Recent studies documented the introduction and spread of CPV-2c strains of Asian origin in the Italian canine population. We investigated tissue samples from a puppy collected during necropsy for the presence of viral enteropathogens and all samples tested positive only for CPV-2. The full coding sequence of a CPV-2b (VP2 426Asp) strain was obtained. This virus was related to CPV-2c strains of Asian origin and unrelated to European CPV-2b strains. The sequence had genetic signatures typical of Asian strains (NS1: 60Val, 545Val, 630Pro; VP2: 5Gly, 267Tyr, 324Ile) and mutations rarely reported in Asian CPV-2b strains (NS1: 588N; VP2: 370Arg). Phylogenetic analyses placed this strain in well-supported clades, including Asian CPV-2c-like strains, but always as a basal, single-sequence long branch. No recombination was observed for this strain, and we speculate that it could have originated from an Asian CPV-2c-like strain that acquired the 426Asp mutation. This study reports the first evidence of an Asian-like CPV-2b strain in Italy, confirming the occurrence of continuous changes in the global CPV-2 spread. Since positive convergent mutations complicate data interpretation, a combination of phylogenetic and mutation pattern analyses is crucial in studying the origin and evolution of CPV-2 strains. Full article

Feline panleukopenia (FPL), a highly contagious and frequently fatal disease of cats, is caused by Feline parvovirus (FPV) and Canine parvovirus (CPV). We characterised the diversity of these Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 variants in 18 faecal samples collected from domestic cats with FPL during an outbreak, using targeted parvoviral DNA metagenomics to a mean depth of >10,000 × coverage per site. All samples comprised FPV alone. Compared with the reference FPV genome, isolated in 1967, 44 mutations were detected. Ten of these were nonsynonymous, including 9 in nonstructural genes and one in VP1/VP2 (Val232Ile), which was the only one to exhibit interhost diversity, being present in five sequences. There were five other polymorphic nucleotide positions, all with synonymous mutations. Intrahost diversity at all polymorphic positions was low, with subconsensus variant frequencies (SVF) of <1% except for two positions (2108 and 3208) in two samples with SVF of 1.1–1.3%. Intrahost nucleotide diversity was measured across the whole genome (0.7–1.5%) and for each gene and was highest in the NS2 gene of four samples (1.2–1.9%). Overall, intrahost viral genetic diversity was limited and most mutations observed were synonymous, indicative of a low background mutation rate and strong selective constraints. Full article

Canine parvovirus Type 2 (CPV-2) is a worldwide distributed virus considered the major cause of viral gastroenteritis in dogs. Studies on Italian CPV-2 are restricted to viruses circulating until 2017. Only one study provided more updated information on CPV-2 but was limited to the Sicily region. No information regarding the circulation and genetic characteristics of CPV-2 in Northeast Italy has been made available since 2015. The present study investigated the genetic characteristics of CPV-2 circulating in the dog population of Northeast Italy between 2013 and 2019. The VP2 gene of 67 CPV-2 was sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was performed to identify patterns of distribution. Phylogenetic and molecular analysis highlighted unique characteristics of Northeast Italian CPV-2 and interestingly depicted typical genetic clustering of the Italian CPV-2 strains, showing the existence of distinct CPV-2 genetic groups. Such analysis provided insights into the origin of some Italian CPV-2 genetic clusters, revealing potential introductions from East European countries and the spread of CPV-2 from South/Central to North Italy. This is the first report that describes the genetic characteristics of recent Italian CPV-2. Tracking the genetic characteristics of CPV-2 nationally and globally may have impact on understanding the evolution and distribution of CPV-2, in particular in light of the current humanitarian emergency involving Ukraine, with the massive and uncontrolled movement of people and pet animals. Full article

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) represents a major viral threat to dogs. Considering the potential effects of pets on antimicrobial resistance, information on the CPV and associated bacterial co-infections is limited. The aim of this study was to analyze the antimicrobial susceptibility and multidrug-resistance profiles of bacterial species from tissue samples of dogs with canine parvovirus infection. A set of PCR assays and sequence analyses was used for the detection and the molecular characterization of the CPV strains and other enteric viruses. Bacterial isolation, the determination of antimicrobial susceptibility via the disk diffusion method, and the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration were performed. The detection of β-lactamase genes and toxin genes for specific bacteria was also carried out. CPV infection was confirmed in 23 dogs. Forty-three bacterial strains were isolated and all showed phenotypic resistance. Seventeen multidrug-resistant bacteria and bacteria with high resistance to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and metronidazole were detected. Almost 50% of the isolated Enterobacteriaceae were positive for at least one β-lactamase gene, with the majority carrying more genes as well. The evidence for multi-resistant bacteria with the potential for intra- or cross-species transmission should be further considered in a One Health approach. Full article

The genus Protoparvovirus (family Parvoviridae) includes several viruses of carnivores. We describe a novel fox protoparvovirus, which we named Newlavirus as it was discovered in samples from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Analysis of the full non-structural protein (NS1) sequence indicates that this virus is a previously uncharacterized species. Newlavirus showed high prevalence in foxes from both the mainland (Labrador, 54/137, 39.4%) and the island of Newfoundland (22/50, 44%) but was not detected in samples from other carnivores, including coyotes (n = 92), lynx (n = 58), martens (n = 146), mink (n = 47), ermines (n = 17), dogs (n = 48), and ringed (n = 4), harp (n = 6), bearded (n = 6), and harbor (n = 2) seals. Newlavirus was found at similar rates in stool and spleen (24/80, 30% vs. 59/152, 38.8%, p = 0.2) but at lower rates in lymph nodes (2/37, 5.4%, p < 0.01). Sequencing a fragment of approximately 750 nt of the capsid protein gene from 53 samples showed a high frequency of co-infection by more than one strain (33.9%), high genetic diversity with 13 genotypes with low sequence identities (70.5–87.8%), and no geographic segregation of strains. Given the high prevalence, high diversity, and the lack of identification in other species, foxes are likely the natural reservoir of Newlavirus, and further studies should investigate its distribution. Full article

We use a suite of meta-analytic and comparative methods to derive fundamental insights into how sampling effort, pathogen richness, infection prevalence, and seroprevalence vary across Carnivora taxa and Iberian geography. The red fox was the most studied species, the wolf and Iberian lynx were disproportionally studied, and the Arctoidea were understudied. Sampling effort was higher in Mediterranean areas, but central Spain showed the higher pathogen richness. Excluding studies analyzing fecal samples, 53 different pathogens have been detected in Iberian carnivores, including 16 viruses, 27 bacteria, and 10 protozoa but no fungi. Sampling effort and pathogen diversity were generally more similar among closely related carnivore species. Seropositivity to viruses was lower and higher in the Mustelinae and the Canidae, respectively, and seropositivity to protozoa was higher in both taxa. Canine distemper virus exposure was greatest in canids and mustelids. Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 exposure was greatest in the Atlantic regions, and the Felidae and the Musteloidea had lower infection prevalence. A subclade of the Mustelidae had a greater prevalence of Leishmania infection. We observed no relationships between host phylogenetic distance and pathogen sharing among species. Lastly, we identify important research pitfalls and future directions to improve the study of infectious disease in Iberian wild carnivore communities. Full article

In this study, internal organs (tongue, intestine, and spleen) of 23 free-ranging Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus) found dead between 2017 and 2019 were tested for Carnivore protoparvovirus 1, Canine adenovirus (CAdV), and Canine circovirus (CanineCV) using real-time PCR assays. Genetic characterisation of the identified viruses was carried out by amplification, sequencing, and analysis of the complete viral genome or informative viral genes. All the wolves tested positive for at least one of the DNA viruses screened, and 11/23 were coinfected. Carnivore protoparvoviruses were the most frequently detected viruses (21/23), followed by CanineCV (11/23) and CAdV (4/23). From the analysis of the partial VP2 gene of 13 carnivore protoparvoviruses, 12 were canine parvovirus type 2b, closely related to the strains detected in dogs and wild carnivores from Italy, and one was a feline panleukopenia-like virus. Of the four CAdV identified, two were CAdV-1 and two were CAdV-2. The complete genome of seven CanineCVs was sequenced and related to the CanineCV identified in dogs, wolves, and foxes worldwide. Close correlations emerged between the viruses identified in wolves and those circulating in domestic dogs. Further studies are needed to investigate if these pathogens may be potentially cross-transmitted between the two species. Full article

Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 (CPPV-1) is a DNA virus causing gastrointestinal disease and immunosuppression in various terrestrial carnivores. Domestic dogs and cats are considered the primary CPPV-1 reservoirs. The habitat overlap of wild carnivores and free-roaming dogs increases the threat of CPPV-1 transmission between them. This study explored the CPPV-1 distribution among wild carnivores in Taiwan through PCR screening and compared the partial capsid protein (VP2) gene sequences from wild and domestic carnivores. In total, 181 samples were collected from 32 masked palm civets (Paguma larvata), 63 Chinese ferret badgers (Melogale moschata), and 86 crab-eating mongooses (Herpestes urva), from 2015 to 2019 were screened for CPPV-1. The average prevalence of CPPV-1 was 17.7% (32/181), with the highest prevalence in masked palm civets (37.5%). In addition, a masked palm civet was coinfected with two CPPV-1 strains. Among the 33 partial VP2 gene sequences, 23 were identical to the sequences amplified from domestic dogs and cats in Asia, and the remaining 10 were identified for the first time. This study supported the circulation of CPPV-1 strains with the same genomic features as domestic carnivores that are also in wild carnivores from the same environment in Taiwan by molecular data. Therefore, further population control and health management of free-roaming domestic carnivores are recommended. Full article

Habitat loss and degradation, restricted ranges, prey exploitation, and poaching are important factors for the decline of several wild carnivore populations and additional stress from infectious agents is an increasing concern. Given the rapid growth of human populations in some regions like Costa Rica, pathogens introduced, sustained, and transmitted by domestic carnivores may be particularly important. To better understand the significance of domestic carnivore pathogens for wildlife, we determine the prevalence of infection and possible mechanisms for contact between the two groups. The demographics, role in the household, and pathogens of pet dogs and cats was studied during three annual spay/neuter clinics in San Luis, Costa Rica. Most dogs were owned primarily as pets and guard animals, but ~10% were used for hunting. Cats were owned primarily as pets and for pest control. Both roamed freely outdoors. We detected high prevalences of some pathogens (e.g., carnivore protoparvovirus 1 and Toxoplasma gondii). Some pathogens are known to persist in the environment, which increases the probability of exposure to wild carnivores. This study demonstrated that domestic pets in San Luis, home to a number of protected and endangered wildlife species, are infected with pathogens to which these wild species are potentially susceptible. Additionally, results from our questionnaire support the potential for domestic and wild animal contact, which may result in disease spillover. Full article