Fatal canine parvovirus type 2a and 2c infections in wild
Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) insouthern China
Zhang Lina 1, Wang Kai2,
An Fuyu2, Zhang
Dongliang3, Zhang Hailing3, Xu
Xuelin2, Guo Ce2, Yan
Hongmei2, Kuang Yingjie2, Zhang
Zhidong2, Lu Rongguang4*, Hua
Yan2*
1. Eco‐Engineering Department, Guangdong Eco‐Engineering Polytechnic,
Guangzhou 510520, China
2. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and
Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
3. Key Laboratory of Special Animal Epidemic Disease of Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Affairs,
Institute of Special Animals and
Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 4899 Juye Street
Changchun 130112, Jilin Province, China
4. School of Medicine, Chinese University of Hongkong Shenzhen, No.2001
Longxiang Avenue, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong Province, China
*Correspondence1: wildlife530@hotmail.com
*Correspondence2: lurongguang@cuhk.edu.cn
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and
Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China.
Abstract: The Chinese
pangolin (Manis pentadactyla )
is a critically endangered scale-covered mammal belonging to the order
Pholidota. Wild pangolins are notably susceptible to pathogen infection
and are typically characterized by impoverished health. However, little
is currently known regarding the viruses prevalent among pangolins. In
this study, we report the detection of two subtypes of canine parvovirus
type 2 (CPV-2), namely, CPV-2a and CPV-2c, both of which caused severe
diarrheal disease in two post-rescue pangolins with fatal consequences.
As in CPV-2-infected dogs, intensive lesion of the mucosal layer of the
small intestines is a prominent feature in infected pangolins.
Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the VP2 viral protein sequences
isolated from one pangolin were classified into the CPV-2c subclade,
with 99.8% identities to a CPV-2c strain (MN832850) isolated from a
Taiwanese pangolin found in Taiwan Province. In contrast, VP2 sequences
obtained from the second pangolin were classified into the CPV-2a
subclade, with 99.8% identities to a CPV-2a strain (KY386858) isolated
from southern China. In this study, we thus confirmed the infection of
pangolins with CPV-2c in mainland China and demonstrate that CPV-2a can
also infect pangolins. Based on these findings, we recommend that
further investigations should be conducted to establish the interspecies
transmission of these viruses among wild pangolins, wild carnivores, and
stray dogs.