Canine parvovirus epidemiology in Europe: detection of a type 2c with a non-coding mutation in the main capsid protein gene and its implications for molecular characterisation

The results of an epidemiological survey for canine parvovirus (CPV) in European countries are reported. Faecal samples collected from 615 dogs with acute gastroenteritis were analysed by using molecular methods, showing that CPV-2a is the predominant variant in most countries, followed by CPV-2c and CPV-2b. Thirty uncharacterised strains were types as CPV-2c by sequence analysis of the full-length VPV2 gene, but they displayed the non-coding mutation A406IG in the probe-binding region, which prevented the correct oligonucleotide annealing. A minor groove binding probe assay was developed for the detection of the A406IG mutant and classical CPV-2c strains. The detection of mutations in the oligonucleotide-binding region highlights the need to update the molecular diagnostic tools in order to identify emerging mutant CPVs.