Publicación:

Seroprevalencia y evaluación molecular de coronavirus felino en Bucaramanga utilizando RT-PCR

Resumen

Feline coronavirus (FCoV), an endemic virus of worldwide distribution, which has a high transmission rate by direct contact, it causes a fatal systemic infection known as Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Nonetheless, the FIP will be developed in approximately 10% of seropositive cats to FCoV. FCoV is a positive chain RNA virus belonging to the Coronavirinae subfamily, genus Alphacoronavirus. 1. This study aimed at characterizing serologically and molecularly the FCoV infection in cats in Bucaramanga city, through a descriptive, cross-sectional study, where 96 felines were sampled (serum and feces). An ELISA technique was used (ImmunoComb®) RNA and RT-PCR extraction of the nps14 gene was done, the fragments obtained were sequenced using the SANGER method. The obtained sequences were analyzed by bioinformatics. MEGA 7, Clustal. A real prevalence of 84.6% was obtained in the evaluated population ([CI]= 77.43% y 91.85%). Among the evaluated variables, seropositivity was found in 76% of the males, 24% of the females, 66% of the group <1 year, 77% between 1 and 3 years, 61% of the group > 3 years, 69% of the group were mixed-race, 100% of the group were pure breed. 74% of the sterilized individuals and 62%. The RT - PCR showed the presence of the virus in 66 of the 96 samples evaluated, evidencing 13 false positives and 12 false negatives. The phylogenetic analysis showed the circulation of FCoV type I in the evaluated population, with the presence of three clusters evolutionarily related to strains reported in Japan, Holland and Indonesia. It was concluded that FCoV is an endemic virus presented in the feline population of Bucaramanga, which suggests a high risk of FIP. Isolated FCoVs show high genetic variability, which makes difficult to generate control strategies.