Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) emerged in 1978 as one of the most pathogenic etiologic agents in dogs. Under the influence of evolution, the original CPV-2 was replaced, a few years later, by 2 variants, CPV-2a and CPV-2b. In 2000, a new variant, CPV-2c, was detected first in Italy and later in other countries. The current study was conducted to provide data about the CPV types circulating in Bulgaria. Forty-two fecal samples from dogs with clinical signs of parvovirosis, collected between June 2009 and February 2010, were tested for CPV using a rapid test based on detection of CPV antigens and a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of viral DNA. Positive samples were characterized by means of minor groove binder probe PCR assays. Forty samples were positive, of which 30 were identified as CPV-2a, 9 as CPV-2b, and 1 as CPV-2c. The results from this molecular investigation of CPV show the prevalence of type 2a and occurrence of type 2c for the first time in Bulgaria.

Canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV) are considered the main pathogens responsible for acute gastroenteritis in dogs. From a collection of 250 samples, seven CPV strains and three CCoV strains were identified in symptomatic Irish dogs. Samples were screened for the viruses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and typed via DNA sequence analysis. Three CPV strains were characterized as CPV-2a, while four others were characterized as CPV-2b. To date, CPV-2c remains unreported in Ireland. Two CCoV strains were characterized as CCoV-II and one as CCoV-I. In the case of one sample, PH4/09/Ire, a mixed infection with CPV and CCoV was detected.

Canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV) are considered the main pathogens responsible for acute gastroenteritis in dogs. From a collection of 250 samples, seven CPV strains and three CCoV strains were identified in symptomatic Irish dogs. Samples were screened for the viruses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and typed via DNA sequence analysis. Three CPV strains were characterized as CPV-2a, while four others were characterized as CPV-2b. To date, CPV-2c remains unreported in Ireland. Two CCoV strains were characterized as CCoV-II and one as CCoV-I. In the case of one sample, PH4/09/Ire, a mixed infection with CPV and CCoV was detected.

A real-time RT-PCR assay based on the TaqMan technology was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of pestiviruses infecting cattle, i.e., bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) 1, BVDV-2, and the emerging HoBi-like pestiviruses. The assay was linear and reproducible, being able to detect as few as 10 copies of viral RNA. By real-time RT-PCR analysis of 986 biological samples collected from cattle herd with clinical signs suggestive of pestivirus infection and from animals recruited in a pestivirus surveillance programme, 165 pestivirus positive samples were detected, including 6 specimens, 2 nasal swabs, and 4 EDTA-blood samples, that tested negative by a gel-based RT-PCR assay targeting the 5'UTR. The developed TaqMan assay represents a new reliable and effective tool for rapid and sensitive diagnosis of infections caused by all pestiviruses circulating in cattle, thus being useful for extensive surveillance programs in geographic areas where HoBi-like pestiviruses are co-circulating with BVDV-1 and BVDV-2.

The potential of high pressure processing to inactivate hepatitis A virus (HAV) within Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) was evaluated. HAV was bioaccumulated within mussels to approximately 6-log10 PFU by exposure of mussels to HAV-contaminated seawater. After shucking, 5 min pressure treatments of 300, 325, 350, 375, and 400 MegaPascals (MPa) were performed at room temperature (18–22°C). For blue mussels, log10 PFU reductions of HAV averaged 2.1 and 3.6 for treatments of 350 and 400 MPa, while for Mediterranean mussels reductions of 1.7 and 2.9 log10 PFU MPa were observed for equivalent treatments. These results demonstrate that high pressure processing is capable of inactivating HAV within mussels.

A Hobi-like pestivirus pair consisting of cytopathogenic (cp) and non-cytopathogenic (noncp) strains, Italy 83/10cp and Italy 83/10ncp, was isolated from the lung of a heifer that died of respiratory disease. The noncp and cp viruses were isolated on Madin–Darby bovine kidney cells and separated by plaque purification and end point dilution. Analysis of the nearly full-length genomes revealed that the two viruses were very closely related to each other and to the noncp Hobi-like strain Italy 1/10-1, which had been isolated a few weeks earlier from the same herd. One major difference between noncp and cp viruses concerned the presence of a cellular Jiv sequence in the 39 domain of the NS2-encoding region of the cp strain. This is the first study, to our knowledge, reporting the isolation and molecular characterization of a Hobi-like virus pair.

The clinical features and economic impact of the infection caused by an emerging group of pestiviruses, namely HoBi-like pestivirus, in a cattle herd of southern Italy are reported. In 2011, the virus was first associated with respiratory disease, causing an abortion storm after 1 year and apparently disappearing for the following 3 years after persistently infected calves were slaughtered. However, in 2014, reproductive failures and acute gastroenteritis were observed in the same herd, leading to a marked decrease of productivity. A HoBi-like strain closely related to that responsible for previous outbreaks was detected in several animals. Application of an intensive eradication programme, based on the detection and slaughtering of HoBi-like pestivirus persistently infected animals, resulted in a marked improvement of the productive performances.

We report detection and full-genome characterization of a novel orthopoxvirus (OPXV) responsible for a fatal infection in a cat. The virus induced skin lesions histologically characterized by leukocyte infiltration and eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions. Different PCR approaches were unable to assign the virus to a defined OPXV species. Large amounts of typical brick-shaped virions, morphologically related to OPXV, were observed by electron microscopy. This OPXV strain (Italy_09/17) was isolated on cell cultures and embryonated eggs. Phylogenetic analysis of 9 concatenated genes showed that this virus was distantly related to cowpox virus, more closely related to to ectromelia virus, and belonged to the same cluster of an OPXV recently isolated from captive macaques in Italy. Extensive epidemiologic surveillance in cats and rodents will assess whether cats are incidental hosts and rodents are the main reservoir of the virus. The zoonotic potential of this novel virus also deserves further investigation.

A novel protoparvovirus species, related genetically to human bufaviruses, was identified in dogs with respiratory signs. The canine bufavirus was distantly related to the well-known canine protoparvovirus, canine parvovirus type 2, sharing low amino acid identities in the nonstructural protein 1 (40.6%) and in the capsid protein 1 (33.4%). By screening collections of fecal, nasal, and oropharyngeal samples obtained from juvenile dogs (<1 year of age), canine bufavirus DNA appeared as a common component of canine virome. The virus was common in the stool samples of dogs with or without enteric disease and in the nasal and oropharyngeal swab samples of dogs with respiratory signs. However, the virus was not detected in nasal and oropharyngeal swab samples from animals without clinical signs.

Scarce data are currently available about the ecology of canine adenoviruses (CAdVs) in wild carnivores. In this paper, the consecutive circulation of CAdV-1 and CAdV-2 in wild carnivores maintained in a French zoological park is reported. A fatal CAdV-1 infection was observed in a Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus), which displayed gross lesions, histopathological changes and immunohistochemical findings suggestive of CAdV-1 infection. The virus was isolated on cell cultures and its genome was determined through next-generation sequencing, resulting genetically related to a recent Italian CAdV-1 strain detected in an Italian wolf. Subsequently, subclinical circulation of CAdV-2 was demonstrated by molecular methods in wild carnivores maintained in the same zoological park, some of which had been previously vaccinated with a CAdV-2 vaccine. Virus detection at a long distance from vaccination and by unvaccinated animals was suggestive of infection by a CAdV-2 field strain, although no data are available about the extent and duration of shedding of CAdV-2 modified-live virus in wild or domestic carnivores. The present paper provides new insights into the CAdV ecology in wildlife, although future studies are needed to fully understand the pathogenic potential of both CAdVs especially in endangered carnivore species.

The prevalence of feline haemoplasma infections in blood samples collected from cats in southern Italy between 2007 and 2011 was evaluated. A convenience-sample of 314 cats (136 healthy; 178 non-healthy;) was screened by polymerase chain reaction using several sets of primers. The overall prevalence of Haemoplasma infections was 18,0% in the samples collection examined in this study. The prevalence was 9,5% for 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum', 6,5% for Mycoplasma haemofelis and 2% for 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis'. Interestingly, the prevalence was significantly higher in symptomatic (28%) rather than in healthy animals (6%). Also, free-ranging male individuals older than 2 years were more exposed to risks of infection by these pathogens. These findings indicate that haemoplasma infections are common in Italy.