The first isolation and identification of canine parvovirus (CPV) type 2c variants during 2016–2018 genetic surveillance of dogs in Mongolia

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) causes a highly contagious and fatal disease, developing into acute hemorrhagic enteritis and myocarditis, in dogs. CPV-2 has evolved, generating antigenic variants CPV-2a/2b/2c that are globally distributed. However, investigating molecular characterization of CPV-2 among dog populations in Mongolia has been limited. Herein, 42 stool samples were collected from dogs with clinical signs of infection, and conventional PCR assays were employed to detect CPV-2 in 23. Our results indicated that during 2016–2018, the new CPV-2a and 2c subtypes were detected in 34.7% of the samples, and the new CPV-2b subtype was detected in 30.4% of samples. VP2 protein sequence analysis and next-generation sequencing of the complete viral genome confirmed these antigenic types. However, sequence analysis indicated new and unreported mutations, Pro580Thr, and Tyr584His in the CPV-2c subtype. From a PCR-positive sample, CPV-2c was successfully isolated, and we performed an immunofluorescence assay for antigen detection. Additionally, we performed genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis to investigate genetic diversity among isolates from the region, resulting in high CPV-2 genetic diversity in the Mongolian dog population. Striking similarities were also observed between sequences of the strains isolated from Mongolia and China over a similar time span. •Whole genome NGS and VP2 protein sequencing confirmed new CPV-2a and new CPV-2b, CPV-2c subtypes.•In 2016–2018, subtype CPV-2c was predominant in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.•Unreported mutations of amino acid residues 580, and 584 were detected in CPV-2c.•The VP2 genes of Mongolian CPV isolates were closely related to Chinese strains.