Canine-coronavirus (CCV) characterization in Spain. Epidemiological aspects

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Molecular Biology
• Immunology

Background:

• Canine coronavirus (CCV) is an important pathogen affecting dogs worldwide.
• Characterization of CCV strains is crucial for understanding viral evolution and developing effective diagnostics and vaccines.
• Previous studies have focused on CCV strains from various regions, but limited data exists for Spanish isolates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel canine coronavirus (CCV) strain isolated in Spain.
• To investigate the cellular-infection cycle of the Spanish CCV isolate in A-72 cells.
• To evaluate the presence of CCV antibodies in Spanish canine populations using immunoenzymatic methods.

Main Methods:

• Electron microscopy was used to study the CCV cellular-infection cycle.
• Electrophoretic profiling and immunoblot analysis were employed for antigenic characterization.
• Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods were used to detect CCV antibodies in canine sera.
• Kappa value was calculated to assess the agreement between ELISA tests.

Main Results:

• The Spanish CCV isolate exhibited similar electrophoretic profiles and antigenic properties to an American reference strain.
• Electron microscopy revealed characteristic CCV replication within A-72 cells.
• ELISA tests demonstrated adequate agreement (kappa value = 0.64) for detecting CCV antibodies in canine sera.
• Immunoblot analysis confirmed the specificity of the detected antibodies.

Conclusions:

• The characterized Spanish CCV strain shares key features with other known CCV isolates.
• Immunoenzymatic methods, particularly ELISA, are reliable tools for detecting CCV antibodies in canine populations.
• This study contributes to the understanding of CCV epidemiology in Spain and provides a basis for further research.