Abstract

Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) is the third member of the family Circoviridae, genus Circovirus, able to infect swine. A high prevalence of viral DNA has been recorded in wild boars. Recently, PCV-3 DNA was identified in Italian wild ruminants. Based on these previous results, this study assessed the frequency of PCV-3 DNA detection in free-ranging ruminants and Lagomorpha species in Spain. In addition, the genetic characterization of the PCV-3 PCR-positive samples was performed. A total of 801 serum samples, including red deer (Cervus elaphus, [CE]; n = 108), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, [CC]; n = 87), Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica, [RP]; n = 133), Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica, [CP]; n = 92), mouflon (Ovis aries, [OA]; n = 91), fallow deer (Dama dama, [DD]; n = 104), European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, [OC]; n = 101), and European hare (Lepus europaeus, [LE]; n = 85) from Catalonia (northeast Spain) were tested by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and, when positive, sequenced. Overall, PCV-3 DNA was found in three out of 801 analyzed sera (0.37%) corresponding to one red deer (1/108, 0.9%), one mouflon (1/91, 1.1%), and one fallow deer (1/104, 0.96%). None of the samples collected from Lagomorpha species resulted PCR positive. The partial genome sequences detected in positive samples displayed high identity with some PCV-3 sequences detected in wild boars and domestic pigs (99.7% and 100%, respectively). In conclusion, the present study indicated that free-ranging ruminant and Lagomorpha species are not relevant in the epidemiology of PCV-3 in Spain.

Highlights

  • Porcine circoviruses (PCV) are small non-enveloped DNA viruses with icosahedral symmetry, containing a unique single-stranded circular genome of about 1.7–2.00 kb [1,2]

  • The main objectives of this work were to assess the prevalence of Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) in free-ranging ruminant and Lagomorpha species in Spain based on a retrospective large-scale molecular survey, and carry out the genetic characterization of the positive samples

  • All the specimens collected from the rest of the wild ruminant and Lagomorpha species resulted negative for the presence of PCV-3 DNA

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Summary

Introduction

Porcine circoviruses (PCV) are small non-enveloped DNA viruses with icosahedral symmetry, containing a unique single-stranded circular genome of about 1.7–2.00 kb [1,2]. Pathogens 2020, 9, 341 of the genus Circovirus (family Circoviridae) have been detected in pigs. Was the first identified one and considered non-pathogenic for swine [3]. Is the most economically important family member as it can cause the so-called porcine circovirus diseases (PCVD) [4]. Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) has been identified in pigs experiencing different pathological conditions, e.g., respiratory and reproductive problems, porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS), myocarditis, and congenital tremors, and in clinically healthy pigs [5,6,7,8]. The recently described porcine circovirus 4 (PCV-4), so far only in China, was detected in animals with respiratory disease, diarrhea or PDNS-like lesions [9]

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