Detection and Molecular Characterization of Animal Adenovirus and Astrovirus from Western Maharashtra, India

Background Astroviruses (AstV) and adenoviruses (AdV) are associated with diarrhoea in young ones of animals. However, the epidemiology and genetic diversity of AstVs and AdVs in animals are not well studied. Hence the present study was conducted to detect and characterize AstVs and AdVs in calves, piglets and puppies in India. Findings Out of the processed porcine (48), canine (80), and bovine (65) faecal samples from Western Maharashtra, India, the porcine AstV (PAstV), bovine AstV (BAstV), canine AstV (CAstV), and porcine AdV (PAdV) were detected in 12.5%, 7.69%, 3.75% and 4.1% of samples, respectively. In the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region-based phylogenetic analysis the detected BAstV strains grouped with MAstV-28, MAstV-33, and MAstV-35, CAstV strains belonged to MAstV-5, PAstV strains belonged to MAstV-24, MAstV-26, and MAstV-31. Both the detected PAdV were of genotype 3, exhibiting 91.9-92.5% nucleotide identity with Ivoirian and Chinese strains. The study reports first-time BAstVs from calves and PAdV-3 from piglets in India. Conclusion The study revealed diversity in the circulation of AstVs and AdVs in young ones of dogs, pigs and calves. Therefore, extensive epidemiological investigations of AstV and AdV are necessary to confirm their association with diarrhoea and to develop diagnostic tools and control measures.