Molecular epidemiology of canine parvovirus in Taiwan

Introduction: Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a non-enveloped virus with a single-stranded DNA genome and causes infectious enteritis in dog. Here we describe the prevalence and evolution of CPV in Taiwan in 2012. Method: Among 11 diarrhea dogs and 2 cats, the CPV quick test was screen the positive cases for amplified the CPV partial viral VP2 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the PCR product was sequenced. The reference sequences from GenBank were used to comparison in the phylogenetic analysis. Results: Among these 13 diarrhea dogs and cats, 7(54%) of them were positive in quick test. But, 9 (69%) of them were VP2 PCR positive. Two DNA sequence were identified. Phylogenetic analysis provided clear evidence for spatial clustering at the international level. Among 9 positive cases, all of them were type 2b. One in only two cats samples was type 2b,too. In the results of maximum-likelihood phylogenetic , 5 clusters were identified with bootstrap(bt) >75%. Furthermore, Taiwan CPV viruses clustered its own monophyletic clade in 2004-2006 (bt=77%). Few of these Taiwan CPV was sporadically correlated with the viruses from neighbor countries. The Taiwan sequences in this study in 2012 were correlated neither with the vaccine strains in the year 2006 nor the Taiwan monophyletic clade during 2004 and 2006. Conclusion: Domestic CPV in central Taiwan were 2b and already coexist with cat and dog. The CPV in Taiwan had local viral strains and no geographical restriction. This study would provide information for prevention works.