Prevalence, Risk Factors and Clinical Importance of Canine Bocavirus Infection in Dogs

U razdoblju od 1. lipnja 2015. do 10. listopada 2017. godine iz veterinarskih organizacija s područja Republike Hrvatske ukupno je prikupljeno i obrađeno 573 obrisaka rektuma pasa koji su pokazivali znakove akutnog gastroenteritisa, 198 obrisaka sluznica vagine i 196 obrisaka sluznice nosa pasa iz uzgajivačnica s reproduktivnim poremećajima, te 75 obrisaka rektuma zdrave populacije pasa. Osim ovih uzoraka za 288 pasa sa znakovima akutnog gastroenteritisa, prikupljeni su i podaci o nacionalu, anamnezi, kliničkoj slici, tijeku i ishodu liječenja. Metodom lančane reakcije polimeraze u prikupljenim obriscima dokazivana je prisutnost minutnog virusa pasa. Na osnovu rezultata pretrage uzoraka ustanovljeno je da je infekcija minutnim virusom pasa prisutna u 9,72% životinja, u pasa s reproduktivnim poremećajima u 2,5% te u zdravoj populaciji u 2,67% pasa. Ovime je po prvi puta dokazana infekcija ovim uzročnikom na području Republike Hrvatske. Usporedba dobivenih vrijednosti prevalencije infekcije minutnim virusom pasa u različitim istraživanim populacijama pokazala je da je ovaj virus ima klinički značaj kao značajan patogen probavnog sustava pasa, međutim njegov značaj kao uzročnika reproduktivnih poremećaja je daleko manji. Od čimbenika rizika dob životinje se pokazala kao najznačajniji. Nakon određivanja nukleotidnog slijeda umnoženih odsječaka virusnog genoma ustanovljeno je postojanje dvije skupine sojeva koje cirkuliraju na području Republike Hrvatske, što govori o daleko složenijoj molekularnoj epizootiologiji ove infekcije nego što je očekivano. Određeni nukleotidni slijedovi pokazali su i jedinstveni model evolucije bocavirusa na molekularnoj razini koji može poslužiti kao model evolucije bocavirusnih infekcija u drugih vrsta životinja, ali i ljudi.Between June 1st 2015 and October 10th 2017 a total of 573 rectal swabs taken from dogs with clinical signs of acute gastroenteritis, 198 vaginal swabs and 196 nasal swabs from dogs with reproductive pathology and 75 rectal swabs from healthy dogs. Samples were obtained from veterinary organisations in different parts of Croatia. For 288 dogs data, regarding signalment, medical history, clinical course and outcome of the treatment were collected as well. All collected samples were tested for presence of canine minute virus (CMV), using polymerase chain reaction. Based on the results of diagnostic testing, it was concluded that CMV infection was present at 9.72% samples taken from dogs with signs of gastroenteritis, 2.5% of dogs with reproduction disorders and 2.67% of dogs who were healthy, without any clinical signs. This report is the first evidence of the CMV infection in dogs on teritory of Croatia. The evaluation of prevalence in different populations of the dogs in this study showed that CMV has a clinical role as a significant pathogen of gastrointestinal tract in dogs. It's role as reliable cause of reproductive disorders was less important. Statistics showed that main risk factor was animal age. After sequencing viral genome, it was dicovered that two groupe of the CMV strains are present on Croatian teritory. It points out that CMV molecular epizootiology is far complicated than previously touhgt. The nucleotide sequences revealed a unique model of bocavirus evolution on molecular level, which can serve as a model of bocavirus infections in other species, including humans