Molecular Detection and Genetic Characterization of Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV-2) in Black-Backed Jackal (<i>Lupulella mesomelas</i>) in Namibia
Umberto Molini,
Lauren Michelle Coetzee,
Leandra Van Zyl,
Siegfried Khaiseb,
Giovanni Cattoli,
William G. Dundon,
Giovanni Franzo
Affiliations
Umberto Molini
School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Neudamm Campus, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek 9000, Namibia
Lauren Michelle Coetzee
Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag 18137, Windhoek 9000, Namibia
Leandra Van Zyl
School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Neudamm Campus, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek 9000, Namibia
Siegfried Khaiseb
Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag 18137, Windhoek 9000, Namibia
Giovanni Cattoli
Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
William G. Dundon
Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Giovanni Franzo
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Members of the genus Circovirus have been identified in several host species. While initially considered host-specific, there is growing evidence of their presence in unexpected hosts. Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) is no exception, having been reported in animals belonging to different orders, including carnivores. Recently, PCV-2 was detected in domestic pigs, warthogs and antelopes in Namibia. Considering the potential contact between these populations and wild carnivores, the presence of PCV-2 was investigated in 32 black-backed jackals (Lupulella mesomelas) shot between February and July 2021 as part of predator control operations in Namibia. Two lung lymph nodes tested positive for PCV-2 by PCR, confirming the broader-than-expected PCV-2 host tropism and the susceptibility of canids. Sequence analysis demonstrated a close association between the PCV-2s identified in the jackals and PCV-2b strains collected from South African domestic pigs. Although several hypotheses regarding the source of the jackal’s infection are proposed, further studies should be performed to properly assess how PCV-2 is acquired and maintained in the wild and its potential impact on wild and domestic species.
