Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Canine Parvovirus 2 in Dogs, Mersin Province, Turkey

Abstract

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is a highly contagious and lethal viral disease with acute gastroenteritis in young dogs. After it first appeared in USA in 1978, continuous evolution of virus genome has arisen new genetic and antigenic variants such as CPV-2a, CPV-2b, new CPV-2a, new CPV-2b and CPV-2c throughout the world. The aim of the present study was to detect CPV-2 genetic variants from blood samples of clinically ill dogs and to characterize CPV-2 genetic variants circulating in Mersin province (Turkey), by partial sequence analysis of VP2 gene. A total of 20 blood samples were collected from dogs with gastroenteritis from local veterinary clinics between April 2017 to September 2017. Out of 20, 7 samples were positive for CPV-2 genomic DNA using conventional PCR. Amino acid comparisons showed that Ile-324 mutation was detected in the VP2 of clinical CPV-2b samples, as differ previously studies Turkish genetic variants. A phylogenetic tree constructed based on VP2 gene sequences indicated that CPV-2b sequences from Mersin province were related to Indian genetic variants. Moreover, CPV-2b sequences from Mersin have clustered separately from other Turkish CPV-2b genetic variants previously reported. The results show that CPV-2b genetic variant is circulating among in dogs in Mersin province.