Molecular Epidemiology and Genetic Evolution of Canine Parvovirus Type 2 in Diarrheic Dogs in Serbia From 2008 To 2020
Abstract Canine Parvovirus 2 (CPV2) is a causal agent of an infectious disease with the highest fatality rate among dogs. However, in Serbia, it has never been investigated thoroughly. This study was conducted on samples originating from dogs with diarrhea in anamnesis, stored in the sample bank, submitted for various reasons to the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of Serbia. In total, 50 rectal swab samples were collected from the period 2008 to 2020, and consequently tested. Out of 50 rectal swab samples, the CPV2 genome was detected in 14 (28%). This retrospective study showed the presence of three different variants of CPV2 in diarrheic dogs during the last 12 years in Serbia. CPV2a was the most prevalent variant (60%) followed by CPV2b (30%), and CPV2c (10%). Interestingly, CPV2a had been the predominantly detected variant up until 2018. Nevertheless in 2019, there was the first detected occurrence of the CPV2b variant, followed by the first detection of the CPV2c in 2020. This study reports the evidence and distribution of CPV2 throughout the time-lapse from 2008 to 2020, providing new information about the presence and the prevalence of virus strains in Serbia.