Identification of a novel feline picornavirus from the domestic cat.
While picornaviruses are known to infect different animals, their existence in the domestic cat was unknown. We describe the discovery of a novel feline picornavirus (FePV) from stray cats in Hong Kong. From samples from 662 cats, FePV was detected in fecal samples from 14 cats and urine samples from 2 cats by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Analysis of five FePV genomes revealed a distinct phylogenetic position and genomic features, with low sequence homologies to known picornaviruses especially in leader and 2A proteins. Among the viruses that belong to the closely related bat picornavirus groups 1 to 3 and the genus Sapelovirus, G+C content and sequence analysis of P1, P2, and P3 regions showed that FePV is most closely related to bat picornavirus group 3. However, FePV possessed other distinct features, including a putative type IV internal ribosome entry site/segment (IRES) instead of type I IRES in bat picornavirus group 3, protein cleavage sites, and H-D-C catalytic triad in 3C(pro) different from those in sapeloviruses and bat picornaviruses, and the shortest leader protein among known picornaviruses. These results suggest that FePV may belong to a new genus in the family Picornaviridae. Western blot analysis using recombinant FePV VP1 polypeptide showed a high seroprevalence of 33.6% for IgG among the plasma samples from 232 cats tested. IgM was also detected in three cats positive for FePV in fecal samples, supporting recent infection in these cats. Further studies are important to understand the pathogenicity, epidemiology, and genetic evolution of FePV in these common pet animals.
State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Susanna K P
SK
Lau
Patrick C Y
PC
Woo
Cyril C Y
CC
Yip
Garnet K Y
GK
Choi
Ying
Y
Wu
Ru
R
Bai
Rachel Y Y
RY
Fan
Kenneth K Y
KK
Lai
Kwok-Hung
KH
Chan
Kwok-Yung
KY
Yuen
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D006723:Hong Kong; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
D014764:Viral Proteins