Abstract
Minute virus of canines (MVC) belongs to the family Parvoviridae, genus Bocaparvovirus, and has been mainly described during enteritis episodes in young dogs. This study reports the characterization of four divergent MVC strains detected between 2012 and 2018, three of which were from dogs illegally imported into Italy, most probably from Eastern Europe, that cluster together phylogenetically but share low genetic similarity with the fourth MVC from an autochthonous dog and other available MVC sequences. Our data indicate that the introduction of genetically distinct MVC strains occurred through the illegal movement of dogs from a geographic area where a distinct MVC lineage was most likely circulating. Enforced surveillance of MVC in the dog population of Eastern Europe and its neighboring countries may shed light on, and eventually trace back to, illegal animal movements.
Highlights
Minute virus of canines (MVC) belongs to the family Parvoviridae, genus Bocaparvovirus, and is antigenically distinct from canine parvovirus 2 (CPV2), which belongs to the genus Protoparvovirus and is a major causative agent of gastroenteritis [1]
Such a diagnostic approach was implemented in the Austrian province of Carinthia during an interregional EU-funded project (BIOCRIME, ITAT3002), allowing the responsible authorities to track down novel cases of MVC in dogs illegally imported into northeastern Italy
The present study reports the detection and genetic characterization of MVC strains identified in resident and illegally imported dogs in Italy between 2012 and 2018 whose genome sequences are divergent from all of the MVC sequences currently available in the GenBank database
Summary
Minute virus of canines (MVC) belongs to the family Parvoviridae, genus Bocaparvovirus, and is antigenically distinct from canine parvovirus 2 (CPV2), which belongs to the genus Protoparvovirus and is a major causative agent of gastroenteritis [1]. The present study reports the detection and genetic characterization of MVC strains identified in resident and illegally imported dogs in Italy between 2012 and 2018 whose genome sequences are divergent from all of the MVC sequences currently available in the GenBank database.
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