Canine Circovirus in Foxes from Northern Italy: Where Did It All Begin?

Canine circovirus (CanineCV) is a recently identified virus affecting both domestic and wild carnivores, including foxes, sometimes in presence of severe clinical signs. Its circulation in wild animals can thus represent a potential threat for endangered species conservation and an infection source for dogs. Nevertheless, no data were available on its circulation in the Alps region of Northern Italy. In the present study, samples collected from 186 foxes in the period 2009-2020 from Valle d'Aosta and Veneto regions were tested using a real-time PCR assay, demonstrating a viral circulation of approximatively 2-5%, depending on the considered regions. Two complete or almost complete genome sequences were obtained, highlighting that the detected strains were part of a so defined fox only clade, which suggests that, despite common contact opportunities, Alps foxes are not involved in frequent transmission events to domestic dogs. Such genetic isolation could be at least partially attributed to some sort of independent evolution occurred in the foxes, leading to species barrier. Additionally, CanineCV strains in foxes from Italy were unexpectedly related to those previously identified in foxes from the United Kingdom and Scandinavian area. Combining the history of fox distribution in Europe since the last glacial maximum (LGM) with the viral history allowed us to speculate a long-standing coexistence between European canine circovirus and this host, justifying the peculiar geographic distribution and evolutionary paths of the fox infecting clade.

Automated summary

Canine circovirus has been identified recently as a virus affecting both foxes and dogs, with a circulation rate of 2-5% in the Alps region of Northern Italy. Genetic isolation in Alps foxes may prevent frequent transmission events to domestic dogs, possibly due to independent evolution within the fox population. Furthermore, strains of CanineCV in Italian foxes are unexpectedly related to those in the United Kingdom and Scandinavian area, suggesting a long-standing coexistence with the virus in European fox populations.