First detection and phylogenetic analysis of porcine circovirus 3 in female donkeys with reproductive disorders

Abstract

Background PCV3 is a pathogen associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS)-like clinical signs, reproductive failure, and cardiac and multiorgan inflammation, which was newly identified in 2016 in sows in USA. Recently, PCV3 has also been identified from several non-porcine species like (cattle, dog, wild boar, deer, mice and ticks). However, PCV3 infection in donkey is not well established. Since 2019, 300 blood samples were collected from female donkey, which was characterized by abortion and sterility, in Liaocheng city of China. Results In the present study, an investigation of PCV3 in donkey blood samples was undertaken employing by real time PCR. Positive rates of PCV3 in donkeys reach to 21.0 %. In addition, one full-length PCV3 genome sequence was obtained, and it had a highest identity with porcine circovirus 3 PCV3/CN/Nanjing2017 strain and is clustered to PCV3a genotype based on ORF2 sequences. Conclusions This is the first report of detection of PCV3 from female donkeys presenting reproductive failure in large-scale donkey farms, China. In addition, the PCV3 strain identified in this study shared the closest relationship with those from porcine, suggesting that PCV3 may be transmitted from pigs to donkeys. Totally, PCV3 infection in donkey should be concerned although the association between it and reproductive failure are not better understood.

First Molecular Detection and Genetic Analysis of a Novel Porcine Circovirus (Porcine Circovirus 4) in Dogs in the World

“…Two studies on PCV2 infection in species other than pigs showed that PCV2 might be related to reproductive failure in raccoon dogs and foxes ( 31 , 32 ). PCV3 infection is associated with reproductive failure in donkeys ( 33 ). PCV4 was identified to be pathogenic to piglets by inoculation of piglets with the virus rescued from infectious clones ( 23 ).…”

Distinct epidemiological profiles of porcine circovirus 3 and fox circovirus in Canadian foxes (Vulpes spp.)

“…However, while wild suids could be considered a reservoir host for this virus, because of the low infection prevalence in wild ungulates, the role of these animals in the maintenance of PCV-3 in wildlife remains unclear ( Turlewicz-Podbielska et al., 2022 ). Finally, this virus has also been identified in blood samples of dogs with various symptoms ( Zhang et al., 2018 ), donkeys with reproductive disorders ( Wang et al., 2021 ), and laboratory mice ( S. Jiang et al., 2019 ). Interestingly, the virus was also identified in ticks collected from PCV‐3 negative deer, suggesting that vector-born transmission should be investigated as a potential transmission route ( Franzo et al., 2019 ).…”

Revisiting Porcine Circovirus Infection: Recent Insights and Its Significance in the Piggery Sector

“…The increasing population of wild boar, leading to more interactions with domestic pigs, could facilitate the transmission of PCV3 from wild boar to domestic pigs [ 72 ]. Furthermore, interspecies transmission of PCV3 from pigs to other animals might also be possible, as revealed by different studies [ 206 , 207 ].…”