Genetic diversity of porcine sapoviruses in pigs from the Amazon region of Brazil

Abstract

Sapoviruses (SaVs) belong to the family Caliciviridae and are related to gastroenteritis viruses of humans and animals. These agents have been reported from several countries of the world and represent an important cause of economic loss. The Amazon area has a high degree of diversity of animals and plants, is located in the Northern Region of Brazil and accounts for a large part of the Brazilian territory. In this study, stool samples were collected from pigs during the phase of nursing (less than 28 days of age) and post-weaning (29 to 56 days of age) from January 2008 to February 2009. A total of 169 specimens (108 nursing and 61 post-weaning pigs) were tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the primers p289/p290 for the detection of caliciviruses (CVs), i.e., SaVs and noroviruses (NoVs). Positive sequences were analyzed using BioEdit software (v. 7.1.3.0) and compared with other sequences registered in the GenBank database. A positive frequency of 12.4 % (21/169) was observed, and all of the viruses found were identified as SaVs, with 15 belonging to genogroup GIII (71.4 %), three to GVII-1 (14.3 %) and three to GVIII-2 (14.3 %). No NoVs were detected. The frequency of SaV infections was significantly higher in nursing pigs (17.6 %-19/108) than in post-weaning pigs (3.3 %-2/61). Considering the consistency of the samples, 14.7 % of the samples were classified as diarrheic, but statistical analysis demonstrated that there was no significant difference compared to normal specimens (p = 0.5795). For the first time, we have demonstrated the circulation of SaVs in pigs from the Amazon.

Genetic characterization of porcine sapoviruses identified from pigs during a diarrhoea outbreak in Iowa, 2019

“…However, the SaV‐positive pigs with clinical diarrhoea had significantly higher virus loads ( C t = 26.0 ± 0.5) compared to rRT‐PCR positive but clinically healthy pigs ( C t =33.2 ± 0.9, with 2 7 = 128‐fold difference in quantity). Most porcine SaVs have so far been reported from asymptomatic pigs and several studies reported no significant differences in the positive rates of porcine SaV between clinical and non‐clinical pigs (Barry et al., 2008; Collins et al., 2009; das Merces Hernandez et al., 2014; Dufkova et al., 2013; Mijovski et al., 2010; Reuter et al., 2010). Further, it has been suggested that testing for the presence of SaV may not provide significant diagnostic value (Salamunova et al., 2018).…”

“…Sapoviruses can cause gastroenteritis in humans and animals (Oka et al., 2015). Porcine SaV was first identified by electron microscopy in the United States in 1980 in a mixed infection with other viruses (Saif et al., 1980) and since then, SaVs have been reported from both diarrhoeic and asymptomatic pigs (das Merces Hernandez et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2006). Experimental infection of cell culture‐adapted SaVs in gnotobiotic piglets successfully induced enteritis and diarrhoea (Flynn et al., 1988; Guo et al., 2001).…”

Porcine Sapovirus in Northern Vietnam: Genetic Detection and Characterization Reveals Co-Circulation of Multiple Genotypes

“…The viral infection was clarified to be the result of gastroenteritis in both humans and animals [ 30 ]. Later researchers reported PoSaV strains in diarrhoeic and asymptomatic pigs [ 36 , 37 ]. In experimental piglets, PoSaV strains that had been recovered from cell culture successfully established symptoms of diarrhea and enteritis in the infected pigs [ 11 , 38 ].…”