Adenovirus Isolated From a Cat Is Related to Human Adenovirus 1

Abstract

An adenovirus (AdV) has been isolated from the rectal swab of a domestic cat ( Felis catus ) and named feline adenovirus (FeAdV) isolate. It replicates and causes cytopathological effects in many human, feline, other mammalian cell lines that have both Coxsackie-adenovirus-receptor and integrins. Its antigens cross-react with anti-human adenovirus antibodies in immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry assays. Electron microscopy revealed typical extracellular icosahedral particles and pseudo arrays inside cells. Sequence analysis of hexon and fiber genes indicates that this virus might belong to human adenovirus (HAdV) C species and might be a variant of type 1. In the fiber protein, three altered amino acids occur in the shaft; four altered residues are found in the knob region as compared to a European HAdV might be type 1 isolate (strain 1038, D11). One alteration affects amino acid 442 forming an RGS motif in an alanine rich region that might be an alternative way to bind integrins with subsequent internalization. Substitutions in the hexon sequence are silent. As compared to published HAdV sequences, the fiber is related to the original American prototype and recently described Taiwanese HAdV 1 isolates, but the hexon sequences are related to adenovirus isolates from France, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan. Serology carried out on FeAdV infected M426 cells indicates a prevalence of IgG in 80% of domestic cats in Delaware, United States. FeAdV isolate seems to be a recently recognized virus with possible pathogenic effects and, simultaneous human and feline infections are possible. Further molecular and biological characterization of this feline adenovirus isolate, as well as studies on both human and feline epidemiology and pathomechanisms, especially in endangered big cats, are warranted. FeAdV might have further practical advantages. Namely, it could be utilized in both human and feline AIDS research, developed into diagnostic tools, and gene therapy vectors in the near future.

Are adenoviruses zoonotic? A systematic review of the evidence

“…Even more intriguing is the isolation of a HAdV-1-like virus from cats, following a large sample screening of domestic cats using a HAdV-1 hexon antigen and ELISA in the mid-1990s by Ongradi et al [61]. Sequence determination of the feline hexon and fibre genes showed near-identity to the human counterparts [62]. This virus was reported to replicate in both human and monkey cells in vitro [61], which was updated recently (2019) to include a screen of various permissive and non-permissive human and other animal cells, along with additional immunochemical analyses [62].…”

“…Additional relevant studies were published following the initial review in November 2018, including the previously cited Dehghan et al study [40], Ongrádi et al study of feline AdV [62], the Zhang et al study of HAdV-E4 circulating in Hong Kong [59].…”

Genomics‐based re‐examination of the taxonomy and phylogeny of human and simian Mastadenoviruses: an evolving whole genomes approach, revealing putative zoonosis, anthroponosis, and amphizoonosis

“…Should subsequent amphizoonosis occur, that is, from nonhuman host species and back to humans, potential recombinant AdVs may result in novel, emergent human pathogens. Recent reports indicate that bat and cat harbour at least one AdV each that have gene sequences with significant sequence similarities to their HAdV counterparts (Ongradi, 1999;Phan et al, 2006;Baker et al, 2013;Ongradi et al, 2019). Phylogenetic analysis of the fruit bat AdV-1 hexon shows it forms a clade separate from previously sequenced bat AdVs, and clusters with the HAdV clade with a high bootstrap value of 93 (Baker et al, 2013).…”

“…The bat hexon shared 77% and 90% amino acid similarities with the HAdV counterpart across 58 and 63 amino acids, respectively, of the 900 amino acid hexon protein. The hexon gene of an isolated cat AdV presents with high sequence similarity to HAdV-1 as well (Ongradi, 1999;Ongradi et al, 2019). Independently, and geographically separated, the isolation of a cat AdV in a one-year old child hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis was reported in 2006.…”

Mind the feline coronavirus: Comparison with SARS-CoV-2

“…Presently, increasing evidence has shown that cats can be hosts of some human-infecting viruses. Ongradi et al ( Ongradi et al, 2019 ) first identified that cats can be animal hosts of human adenovirus 1. Zhao et al ( Zhao et al, 2019 ) reported that cats can be infected by human coronaviruses 229E (HCoV-229E) and (PDCoV) by serological screening, and they revealed the potential role of cats in the cross-species transmission of coronaviruses.…”