Western European epidemiological survey for parvovirus and coronavirus infections in dogs

Abstract

An epidemiological survey for canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV) infections was conducted in Western Europe. A total of 156 faecal samples were collected from dogs with diarrhoea in Spain (n=47), Italy (n=39), France (n=26), Germany (n=21), the United Kingdom (n=8), Belgium (n=10), and the Netherlands (n=5). Using molecular assays for virus detection and characterisation, CPV and CCoV were found to be widespread in European dog populations, either alone or in mixed infections. In agreement with previous reports, the original type CPV-2 was shown not to circulate in European dogs. The recently identified virus variant CPV-2c was predominant in Italy and Germany and present at high rates in Spain and France but was not detected in the UK or Belgium. Except for the UK, CCoV genotype I was identified in all European countries involved in the survey, albeit at a lower prevalence rates than CCoV genotype II.

Fig. 1

Geographic distribution of the canine parvovirus (CPV) antigenic variants (A) and of the canine coronavirus (CCoV) genotypes (B) in Western Europe. Faecal specimens from different countries were analysed by molecular methods and the CPV variants or CCoV genotypes are indicated for each country by numbers in parentheses.