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
Summary
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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