title: Discovery and genomic characterization of noroviruses from a gastroenteritis outbreak in domestic cats in the US.
abstract: Norovirus (NoV) RNA was detected in the stools of 6 out 14 (42.8%) 8-12-week-old cats with enteritis from a feline shelter, in New York State. Upon sequence analysis of the complete capsid, the six NoVs were found to be identical, suggesting the spread of a unique NoV strain in the shelter. The full-length genomic sequence (7839 nt) of one feline NoV, CU081210E/2010/US, was determined. In the capsid protein VP1 region, the virus displayed the highest amino acid identity to animal genogroup IV genotype 2 (GIV.2) NoVs: lion/Pistoia-387/06/IT (97.9%) and dog/Bari-170/07/IT (90.4%). These findings document the discovery of a novel feline calicivirus, different from vesiviruses, and extend the spectrum of NoV host range. Epidemiological studies using feline NoV-specific diagnostic tools and experimental infection of cats are required to understand whether NoVs have a pathogenic role in this species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierfrancesco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Qiuhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Dubovi
authors.forename: Joshua B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Laurie M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Millward
authors.forename: Canio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buonavoglia
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martella
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Saif
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats / Q000821:virology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*