Molecular Epidemiology of Highly Diffusive DNA Viruses in Dogs and Cats from Romania

Protoparvovirus carnivoran 1 (PPVC-1), Canine adenovirus type 1 and 2 (CAdV-1 and CAdV-2), and Canine circovirus (CanineCV) are highly diffusive viruses that affect domestic and wild carnivores worldwide, yet limited data are available on their circulation in Eastern European countries. In this retrospective study, the presence of these DNA viruses was investigated using molecular assays on fecal samples from 89 companion animals (56 dogs and 33 cats) collected in Romania between 2019 and 2021. The pathogens identified were analyzed genetically. Overall, 36/56 (64.3%) dogs and 5/33 (15.2%) cats tested positive for PPVC-1, 1/56 (1.8%) dogs for CAdV-1 and CAdV-2, and 15/56 (26.8%) dogs for CanineCV. In total, 40/56 (71.4%) dogs were positive for at least one of the screened pathogens. Novel findings in dogs included the frequent detection of canine parvovirus type 2c of Asian origin (Asian-like CPV-2c) and the first genetic data on CAdV-1 and CanineCV circulating in Romania. This study provides new insights into the epidemiology of DNA viruses in dogs and cats from Romania and highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of circulating pathogens to safeguard animal health, prevent outbreaks and limit potential transboundary spread.