Natural disease and evolution of an Amdoparvovirus endemic in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis).

ABSTRACT: Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) densely populate the human-animal interface of suburbia throughout North America. Skunks share that habitat with numerous related mesocarnivores, where increased contact, competition for shared food and water sources and other stressors contribute to increased exposure and susceptibility to viral infection. The recently identified skunk amdoparvovirus (SKAV) has been detected at high prevalence in skunks and occasionally in mink, but its distribution in North America is unknown. To understand the impact of SKAV in striped skunks and the risk posed to related species, we investigated the geographic distribution of SKAV, analysed its genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics and evaluated viral distribution in tissues of infected animals to identify possi

SUBMITTER: Alex CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9468189 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature