Adenovirus, herpesvirus, and parvovirus survey in Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) of Cantabria, Spain

The study of infectious diseases in wild carnivores is essential to their conservation. Adenovirus, herpesvirus and parvovirus are DNA viruses able to cause severe disease in carnivores; however, data on their occurrence in Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) are limited. Herein, 130 spleen samples from Iberian wolves in Cantabria, northern Spain, were tested for these viruses using broad-range nested PCRs and real time PCR. All positive amplicons were confirmed by direct Sanger sequencing in both directions. Additionally, exposure to adenovirus and Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 (CCPV1) was evaluated by serology in available samples. All wolves were herpesvirus-negative. Overall, five out of 130 (3.8 %) wolves were adenovirus-positive. Four of the obtained adenovirus sequences were identical to those of Canine mastadenovirus A type 1 previously described. The remaining sequence was most similar (99.6 %) to Canine mastadenovirus A type 2. CCPV1 was molecularly detected in 32.3 % (42/130) of the wolves. Two of the wolves were coinfected by adenovirus and CCPV1. Adenovirus seroprevalence was 98.4 % (62/63), while CCPV1 seroprevalence was 78.9 % (45/57). Both, Canine mastadenovirus A type 1 - the causative agent of infectious canine hepatitis - and CCPV-1 are especially important in pups and can impact endangered carnivores. Our findings broaden the current knowledge on the epidemiology of adenovirus and parvovirus in Iberian wolves. Further studies are required to assess the presence of impacting pathogens in other wild carnivores and sympatric dogs of northern Spain in order to elucidate a possible co-circulation of these agents at the wildlife-domestic interface.