*Corresponding author:
Annamaria Pratelli, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Sp Casamassima km3, 70010 Valenzano (Ba), ItalyReceived: January 13, 2018; Published: January 19, 2018
DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.02.000675
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Canine coronavirus (CCoV) is an enveloped, single-strand RNA virus belonging to the Alphacoronavirus genus in the Coronaviridae family Pratelli [1,2] Despite their labile nature, RNA viruses are able to rapidly adjust to negative pressures of immune system, generating novel strains that might have selective advantages over parental genomes. As a consequence of the high mutation frequency, in the last years CCoV has evolved and new genotypes/ types were identified, raising several questions regarding the biology of these viruses Pratelli, Cirone and Pratelli [2, 3]. CCoVs are responsible for enteritis in dogs of all breads and ages and clinical signs may vary from mild to severe gastroenteritis in young pups. Though fatal infections are unusual unless mixed infections with other pathogens occur or in the presence of overcrowding and unsanitary conditions Pratelli et al., [5], the virus is an important pathogen responsible for epizootics in dog population Pratelli [2]. Recently, a CCoV type 2a pantropic variant was identified in a systemic fatal disease in young dogs Buonavoglia et al., [6], and a subsequent experimental study has raised important questions on the pathobiology of CCoVs, demonstrating that the new virus was able both to infect CCoV-seropositive dogs and to induce clinical signs irrespective of the viral dose administered in the challenged dogs Decaro et al. [4].