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First report of feline morbillivirus in mainland China

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Abstract

Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) is an emerging member of the family Paramyxoviridae that is suspected to be involved in chronic kidney disease (CKD). FeMV was first discovered in Hong Kong in 2012 and has subsequently been detected in many countries. However, the prevalence of FeMV in mainland China is still unclear. To clarify the present status and examine the genetic diversity of FeMV in mainland China, in this study, we collected cat urine samples in veterinary hospitals in Guangdong Province in 2017 and 2018. Using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, we found that the urine of six out of 64 cats tested positive for FeMV RNA. Sequencing and genetic analysis of the FeMV L gene showed that FeMV in mainland China is genetically diverse, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the viruses segregated into two clusters. Two isolates, GD5 and GD6, grouped in a branch that was separate from the one containing other previously reported FeMV isolates. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of FeMV in China.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31372448, 31672563), the Special Fund for Agro-Scientific Research in the Public Interest (201303042), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0501004, 2016YFD0501010), the Promote Scientific and Technological Development Program (2013B040200032), and the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Severe Clinical Animal Diseases (2013A061401013).

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Correspondence to Gang Lu or Shoujun Li.

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Handling Editor: William G. Dundon.

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Ou, J., Ye, S., Xu, H. et al. First report of feline morbillivirus in mainland China. Arch Virol 165, 1837–1841 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-020-04649-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-020-04649-9

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