Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Canine and Feline Parvovirus Strains - An Updated Review

Abstract

Canine parvovirus is the most important and significant contagious viral cause of enteritis in pups, adult dogs and wild carnivores characterized by acute haemorrhagic enteritis, myocarditis and leucopenia. These viruses target the rapidly dividing cells. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all CPV isolates descended from a single ancestor which emerged during mid-1970s and were which was closely related to the long-known feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) that infected cats, mink, and raccoons but not dogs or cultured dog cells. FPV and CPV differ only by 0.5% in their DNA sequences. Inspite of their similarity, CPV-2 was not able to replicate in cat cells. FPV is not the only parvovirus species which infects cats, in addition to MEV, the new variants of canine parvovirus, CPV-2a, 2b and 2c have also penetrated the feline host-range, and they are able to infect and replicate in cats, causing diseases indistinguishable from feline panleukopenia. There are five to six amino acid (87, 101, 300, 305, 426 & 555) differences between CPV-2, CPV-2a and its variants. Amplification of full length VP2 gene followed by sequencing of the PCR products can give ample information about the antigenic and genetic differences between the original prototype CPV-2 and its variants