Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Dec;52(12):4230-8.
doi: 10.1128/JCM.02158-14. Epub 2014 Sep 24.

Genotypic characterization of canine coronaviruses associated with fatal canine neonatal enteritis in the United States

Affiliations

Genotypic characterization of canine coronaviruses associated with fatal canine neonatal enteritis in the United States

Beth N Licitra et al. J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Emerging canine coronavirus (CCoV) variants that are associated with systemic infections have been reported in the European Union; however, CCoV-associated disease in the United States is incompletely characterized. The purpose of this study was to correlate the clinicopathological findings and viral antigen distribution with the genotypic characteristics of CCoV in 11 puppies from nine premises in five states that were submitted for diagnostic investigation at Cornell University between 2008 and 2013. CCoV antigen was found in epithelial cells of small intestinal villi in all puppies and the colon in 2 of the 10 puppies where colon specimens were available. No evidence of systemic CCoV infection was found. Comparative sequence analyses of viral RNA extracted from intestinal tissues revealed CCoV-II genotype in 9 out of 11 puppies. Of the nine CCoV-IIs, five were subtyped as group IIa and one as IIb, while three CCoVs could not be subtyped. One of the CCoV-IIa variants was isolated in cell culture. Infection with CCoV alone was found in five puppies, of which two also had small intestinal intussusception. Concurrent infections with either parvovirus (n = 1), attaching-effacing Escherichia coli (n = 4), or protozoan parasites (n = 3) were found in the other six puppies. CCoV is an important differential diagnosis in outbreaks of severe enterocolitis among puppies between 4 days and 21 weeks of age that are housed at high population density. These findings will assist with the rapid laboratory diagnosis of enteritis in puppies and highlight the need for continued surveillance for CCoV variants and intestinal viral diseases of global significance.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
CCoV-I and CCoV-II spike genes with the location of the N-terminal domain (NTD), S1 receptor binding domain, S1/S2 cleavage site (S1/S2), S2′ cleavage site (S2′), S2 fusion domain, and transmembrane domain (TM). Note that the S1/S2 furin cleavage site is present only in CCoV-I viruses.
FIG 2
FIG 2
Photomicrographs of small intestine from puppy 8 with typical lesions of CCoV infection. (A) The villus epithelial cells are diffusely disorganized, attenuated, and low cuboidal (arrows). Note that the space between the epithelial cells and the lamina propria is an artifact of processing (hematoxylin and eosin stain; bar, 100 μm). (B) Cross-section of small intestine showing CCoV antigen in villus epithelial cells (arrows; immunohistochemical stain; bar, 500 μm). (C) Higher magnification showing CCoV antigen in the cytoplasm of villus epithelial cells (arrows; immunohistochemical stain; bar, 50 μm).
FIG 3
FIG 3
Canine fibroblast-like A-72 cells, 24 h postinfection, with puppy 4b CCoV. Phase-contrast microscopy of uninfected cell culture monolayer (A) and CCoV-infected cell culture monolayer with cytopathic effect characterized by rounding and death of individual cells (B) (10× original magnification). Immunofluorescence microscopy of CCoV-infected cell culture monolayer (mouse monoclonal antibody FIPV3-70 followed by Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated anti-IgG; 20× original magnification).
FIG 4
FIG 4
Phylogenetic tree based on the spike protein N-terminal domain (NTD). Sequences are identified as CCoV-IIa or -IIb, followed by the case number.

References

    1. Binn LN, Lazar EC, Keenan KP, Huxsoll DL, Marchwicki RH, Strano AJ. 1974. Recovery and characterization of a coronavirus from military dogs with diarrhea, p 359–366 Proceedings of the 18th annual meeting of the United States Animal Health Association. U.S. Animal Health Association, St Joseph, MO. - PubMed
    1. King AMQ, Adams MJ, Carstens EB, Lefkowitz EJ. (ed). 2012. Virus taxonomy: classification and nomenclature of viruses. Ninth report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Elsevier Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
    1. Bandai C, Ishiguro S, Masuya N, Hohdatsu T, Mochizuki M. 1999. Canine coronavirus infections in Japan: virological and epidemiological aspects. J. Vet. Med. Sci. 61:731–736. 10.1292/jvms.61.731. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Naylor MJ, Monckton RP, Lehrbach PR, Deane EM. 2001. Canine coronavirus in Australian dogs. Aust. Vet. J. 79:116–119. 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2001.tb10718.x. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Schulz BS, Strauch C, Mueller RS, Eichhorn W, Hartmann K. 2008. Comparison of the prevalence of enteric viruses in healthy dogs and those with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea by electron microscopy. J. Small Anim. Pract. 49:84–88. 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2007.00470.x. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources