First Identification of CPV‐2c Infection in a Wild Cub Giant Panda ( <i>Ailuropoda melanoleuca</i> ) Suggesting an Emerging Transmission From Wildlife and Domestic Dogs

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is a member of the Parvoviridae family that causes several animals for diarrhea, vomiting, and even death, particularly in cubs. Previous evidence has shown that CPV-2 is capable of infecting giant pandas, causing mild intestinal symptoms. In November 2020, a dead young giant panda was discovered in the Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China. Through physical examination, anatomical pathology, histopathology, and PCR testing, the panda was diagnosed with CPV-2 infection. Further investigations into the CPV-2 epidemic among wildlife in the Wolong Nature Reserve revealed an epidemic situation with a 14.52% (9/62) positive rate in fecal samples of wild animals near 350 National Highway. In total, 40 canine fecal samples from the Wolong and nearby cities were next analyzed. Interestingly, all dog fecal samples from Wolong tested CPV-2 negative, while seven positive samples were successfully amplified from the urban samples. Partial VP2 gene analysis identified four giant panda strains and nine canine strains as CPV-2c variations, with shared nucleotide and amino acid homologies of 99.2%-100%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CPV-2c strains in our study belonged to the same cluster of Chinese and Asian CPV-2c strains while distinct from European and American strains. This study is the first identification indicating that CPV-2c has significantly threatened the health and survival of wild cub giant pandas, which might originate from domestic dogs from near cities.