Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis in China: Characterization of Its Genetic Diversity and Evidence for Natural Recombination Events Between the Chinese and American Strains.
Authors: Lu Gang, Wu Liyan, Ou Jiajun, Li Shoujun
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis in China Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H), only formally identified in 2018 following a fatal case of serum hepatitis in the USA, represents an emerging viral threat with limited genomic data available until this investigation. Researchers in Guangdong Province conducted a prevalence survey and sequenced field strains of EqPV-H using PCR and molecular assembly techniques to characterise its genetic diversity and evolutionary patterns. The virus was detected in 8.33% of equines sampled, with concurrent infections involving equine hepacivirus and equine pegivirus documented; notably, phylogenetic and bootscanning analyses revealed natural recombination events between Chinese and American strains occurring within the VP protein-coding region, indicating active genetic exchange despite geographic separation. Nucleotide sequence comparisons showed relatively tight clustering (97.1–99.9% identity in non-structural proteins and 95.2–100% in viral proteins), establishing measurable genetic diversity within a recently emerged pathogen. For equine practitioners, these findings underscore the importance of considering EqPV-H as a differential diagnosis in cases of unexplained serum hepatitis or concurrent viral infections, whilst the evidence of recombination events suggests the virus may continue to evolve and potentially produce novel strains with unpredictable virulence or epidemiological properties.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •EqPV-H is circulating in Chinese horse populations at detectable rates and should be considered in differential diagnosis for equine hepatitis cases
- •Viral recombination between geographic strains suggests EqPV-H is evolving; practitioners should remain aware of emerging variants that may affect diagnostic accuracy
- •Multiple viral coinfections are possible, complicating clinical presentation and requiring comprehensive diagnostic testing for hepatitis cases
Key Findings
- •EqPV-H detection rate was 8.33% (95% CI: 2.8-18.4%) in Guangdong Province equine population
- •Natural recombination events identified between Chinese and American EqPV-H strains occurring within VP protein
- •Nucleotide identities ranged 97.1-99.9% for NS and 95.2-100% for VP proteins between strains
- •EqPV-H coinfection observed with equine hepacivirus and equine pegivirus in some cases