title: A novel feline norovirus in diarrheic cats.
abstract: By screening a collection of fecal samples from young cats housed in three different shelters in South Italy, noroviruses (NoVs) were found in 3/48 (6.2%) specimens of animals with enteritis signs while they were not detected in samples collected from healthy cats (0/57). Upon sequence analysis of the short RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) region, the three strains displayed the highest nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) identities to the prototype GIV.2 strain lion/Pistoia/387/06/ITA (91.0-93.0% nt and 97.0-98.0% aa). The sequence of ~3.4-kb portion at the 3' end of the genome of a NoV strain, TE/77-13/ITA, was determined. In the full-length ORF2, encoding the VP1 capsid protein, the virus was genetically closest to the canine GVI.2 NoV strains C33/Viseu/2007/PRT and FD53/2007/ITA (81.0-84.0% nt and 93.0-94.0% aa identities), suggesting a recombination nature, with the cross-over site being mapped to the ORF1-ORF2 junction. Based on the full-length VP1 amino acid sequence, we classified the novel feline NoV, together with the canine strains Viseu and FD53, as a genotype 2, within the genogroup GVI. These findings indicate that, as observed for GIV NoV, GVI strains may infect both the canine and feline host. Unrestricted circulation of NoV strains in small carnivores may provide the basis for quick genetic diversification of these viruses by recombination. Interspecies circulation of NoVs in pets must also be considered when facing outbreaks of enteric diseases in these animals.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Italy. Electronic address: bdimartino@unite.it.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Martino
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Profio
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melegari
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sarchese
authors.affiliation: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Puglia and Basilicata, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Assunta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cafiero
authors.affiliation: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per le Malattie degli Animali Selvatici (CeRMAS), Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robetto
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aste
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università Aldo Moro di Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianvito
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanave
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsilio
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università Aldo Moro di Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005838:Genotype; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
keywords: Cats; Enteritis; Genogroup VI; Genotype 2; Norovirus