title: Molecular epidemiology of canine parvovirus in Morocco.
abstract: Since it first emergence in the mid-1970's, canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) has evolved giving rise to new antigenic variants termed CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c, which have completely replaced the original strain and had been variously distributed worldwide. In Africa limited data are available on epidemiological prevalence of these new types. Hence, the aim of the present study was to determine circulating variants in Morocco. Through TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay, 91 samples, collected from symptomatic dogs originating from various cities between 2011 and 2015, were diagnosed. Positive specimens were characterised by means of minor groove binder (MGB) probe PCR. The results showed that all samples but one (98.9%) were CPV positive, of which 1 (1.1%) was characterised as CPV-2a, 43 (47.7%) as CPV-2b and 39 (43.3%) as CPV-2c. Interestingly, a co-infection with CPV-2b and CPV-2c was detected in 4 (4.4%) samples and 3 (3.3%) samples were not characterised. Sequencing of the full VP2 gene revealed these 3 uncharacterised strains as CPV-2c, displaying a change G4068A responsible for the replacement of aspartic acid with asparagine at residue 427, impacting the MGB probe binding. In this work we provide a better understanding of the current status of prevailing CPV strains in northern Africa.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, Rabat, Morocco. Electronic address: vet.amrani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amrani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Costantina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desario
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Ahlam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kadiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavalli
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Jaouad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berrada
authors.affiliation: Society of Veterinary Pharmaceutical and Biological Productions (Biopharma), Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zro
authors.affiliation: Society of Veterinary Pharmaceutical and Biological Productions (Biopharma), Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Ghizlane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sebbar
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Puglia e Basilicata, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Loredana
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Colaianni
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Puglia e Basilicata, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elia
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Italy; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Puglia e Basilicata, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Canio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buonavoglia
authors.affiliation: Society of Veterinary Pharmaceutical and Biological Productions (Biopharma), Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Decaro
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006321:Heart / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D009154:Mutation; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D017993:Parvovirus, Canine / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Antigenic variants; Canine parvovirus; Morocco; Real-time PCR