title: Genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of Feline Coronavirus sequences from Portugal.
abstract: The distribution of FCoV Types I and II in a Portuguese cat population was studied by a RT-PCR assay targeting the 3'-end of the viral RNA. For a period of 3 years, 120 samples were collected and 57 were found positive for FCoV RNA. Within the positive samples the presence of FCoV Type I was found in 79%. Type II was only detected in 3.5% in animals with Feline Infectious Peritonitis. The remaining 17.5% could not be differentiated. These viral sequences, comprising a region within gene S were further subjected to a heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) detecting the presence of viral quasispecies in 17% of the samples. Phylogenetic analysis for FCoV Type I revealed high genetic diversity between the Portuguese sequences and other previously characterized strains, while Type II tree showed a higher genetic homogeneity. This study confirmed the presence of FCoV Types I and II circulating in Portugal and detected high genetic diversity between circulating strains suggesting that the virus persists within the host as mixed viral populations.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal. anaduarte@fmv.utl.pt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavares