A retrospective study reveals the Porcine circovirus-2f genotype predominant in the indigenous pig population of North-eastern India.

Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV2) is a widespread virus and presents sub-clinically in most of the swineherd. Globally, eight genotypes of PCV2 have been identified that is PCV2a to 2h. To determine the region-wide genotype distribution of PCV2 infection, with additional reference to indigenous breeds, a total of 1314 pig's clinical samples from the eight states of North-eastern India between 2011 and 2014; were analyzed. The overall prevalence rate of PCV2 in this region was 28.2% (370/1314) by PCR. The state-wise PCR based PCV2 prevalence rate was: Tripura (20.8%), Nagaland (25.0%), Meghalaya (25.8%), Assam (32.1%), Sikkim (32.6%), Manipur (33.3%), Mizoram (36.7%) and Arunachal Pradesh (42.3%). Subsequently, a total of 29 complete genomes of PCV2 were amplified and sequenced from these PCV2 positive samples. The phylogenetic tree represents that the 29 PCV2 isolates of this study were divided into four distinct genetic groups; PCV2a, PCV2b, PCV2d, and PCV2f. Among these, 14 PCV2 strains were classified as PCV2f, 13 classified as PCV2d, and one isolate of each classified as PCV2a and PCV2b. All the 14 PCV2f strains appeared from indigenous pigs of this region. Based on the date of collection, the present study further describes that the PCV2f genotypes circulate in the indigenous pigs' population back in 2011. The amino acid residues and the atomic coordinate structure (3D model) of PCV2f capsid protein represents similarity to PCV2d capsid protein support the efficacy of the existing PCV2 vaccine against the PCV2f. The observation of this study helps to understand the genotype distribution of PCV2 and stands as a reference for future molecular epidemiological studies in North-eastern India.
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