Metatranscriptomic characterization of the canine fecal virome from pooled samples in Gansu, China.

Abstract

As popular companion animals, dogs present a potential risk for zoonotic viral transmission through close contact with humans. To characterize the fecal virome of dogs in Pingliang City, Gansu Province, China, we performed metatranscriptomic sequencing on 30 fecal samples pooled into three libraries, representing three distinct living environments. A total of 112,900,200 clean reads were obtained, revealing 16 viral genera spanning 15 families and highlighting a diverse viral community comprising animal viruses, bacteriophages, and plant viruses. Notably, we identified five known pathogenic viruses: canine astrovirus (3708 reads), canine dicipivirus (6578 reads), canine norovirus (16 reads), canine vesivirus (74 reads), and canine rotavirus (128 reads). Their presence suggests possible exposure events at the human-animal interface, although the infectivity and transmission risk require further experimental validation. These findings significantly expand our understanding of the canine virome and underscore the importance of "One Health" surveillance in companion animals. However, the actual zoonotic potential of the detected viruses, remains to be elucidated through further targeted investigation.