Group A rotavirus gastroenteritis in orphaned Leopardus tigrinus and Leopardus pardalis (Carnivora: Felidae) in the Eastern Amazon

Abstract

Rotaviruses are highly infectious and transmitted by the fecal-oral route, representing a leading cause of diarrheal deaths in children in developing countries. Additionally, it causes significant economic impacts as an enteropathogen among domestic animals. This report presents clinical and diagnostic findings in two cases of rotavirus (RV) infection involving orphaned Leopardus tigrinus (Schreber, 1775) and Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758), representing the first registered group A RV (RVA) infection in these species. Both felids were rescued in Pará State, Amazon Region, by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources and treated in an intensive care ward in a public Environmental Park of Belém City. After adaptation up to the 40th day of the quarantine period, these animals had no typical symptoms of acute, fulminant gastroenteritis. The collected samples were examined at the Virology Laboratory of Instituto Evandro Chagas. RVA antigen was detected in the blood and fecal samples of L. tigrinus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunochromatography. RVA-positive samples were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for VP4 and VP7 genes using conventional set primers but with negative results. Stools were examined for ova and parasites yielding negative results and for intestinal endoparasites, yielding negative results. The animals died within a few days following a clinical exacerbation, therefore unresponsive to treatment. Necropsies and histopathological analysis were performed at the Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology of Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. Despite the pathologic findings typical of RV infection hemorrhagic enteritis was unusual if presumed etiology is considered.