Natural infection of parvovirus in wild fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) reveals extant viral localization in kidneys

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 2;16(3):e0247266. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247266. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 (CPPV-1), a viral species containing feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and canine parvovirus (CPV) variants, are widely spread among domestic and wild carnivores causing systemic fatal diseases. Wild fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), a globally vulnerable species, have been found dead. Postmortem examination of the carcasses revealed lesions in intestine, spleen and kidney. CPPV-1 antigen identification in these tissues, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), supported the infection by the virus. PCR- and IHC-positivity in kidney tissues revealed atypical localization of the virus while in situ hybridization (ISH) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with the pop-off technique confirmed the first description of viral localization in kidneys. Complete genome characterization and deduced amino acid analysis of the obtained CPPV-1 from the fishing cats revealed FPV as a causative agent. The detected FPV sequences showed amino acid mutations at I566M and M569R in the capsid protein. Phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses of complete coding genome sequences revealed that the fishing cat CPPV-1 genomes are genetically clustered to the FPV genomes isolated from domestic cats in Thailand. Since the 1970s, these genomes have also been shown to share a genetic evolution with Chinese FPV strains. This study is the first evidence of CPPV-1 infection in fishing cats and it is the first to show its localization in the kidneys. These findings support the multi-host range of this parvovirus and suggest fatal CPPV-1 infections may result in other vulnerable wild carnivores.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / virology
  • Biological Evolution
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Carnivora / genetics
  • Cats
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Felidae / virology*
  • Feline Panleukopenia / virology
  • Feline Panleukopenia Virus / genetics*
  • Feline Panleukopenia Virus / isolation & purification
  • Feline Panleukopenia Virus / pathogenicity*
  • Host Specificity
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney / virology
  • Mutation
  • Parvoviridae Infections / virology
  • Parvovirus / genetics
  • Parvovirus, Canine / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Thailand

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins

Grants and funding

C.P. was supported by the Ratchadapisek Somphot Fund for Postdoctoral Fellowship, Chulalongkorn University. S.W. is financially afforded by scholarship program for ASEAN countries, Chulalongkorn University. This research was funded by The Thailand Research Fund (RSA6180034), Grant for Joint Funding of External Research Project, Ratchadaphisek Somphot Endowment Fund and Veterinary Science Research Fund (RES_61_364_31_037), Chulalongkorn University, and Veterinary Pathogen Bank, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University.