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Background Vesiviruses (family Caliciviridae) had been shown capable of invading a variety of host species, raising concern of their zoonotic potential. Since the 1980’s, several canine caliciviruses (CaCV) isolates have been reported and are phylogenetically related to the vesiviruses with features distinct from both Vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VESV) and Feline calicivirus (FCV) species in phylogeny, serology and cell culture specificities. Etiological studies of canine diseases in dogs used for military services and laboratory studies were conducted in 1963–1978 at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Multiple known and unknown viral pathogens including caliciviruses were recovered. Methods Four unidentified isolates were recovered in Walter Reed Canine Cells (WRCC) from respiratory, fecal and penile specimens. Physicochemical tests, electron microscopy, viral cultivation in human and animal cells, antibody neutralization assays, and recently the genome sequencing were used to characterize the isolates. Sera from these dogs and their cohorts were tested with the isolates to determine origin and prevalence of the infections. Results The viral isolates were small non-enveloped spherical RNA virions, 27 to 42 nm in diameter with cup-like structures, indicating they are caliciviruses. They propagated in WRCC and MDCK cells, not in either other canine cells or human and other animal cells. Each isolate is antigenically distinct and react with dog sera in respective cohorts. The genomes have nucleotide identities ranging from 70.3% to 90.7% and encode the non-structural polyprotein (1810 amino acids), major capsid protein (691 amino acids) and minor structural protein (134 amino acids). They belong to two different phylogenetic clades in Vesivirus genus with close relation with canine calicivirus (CaCV). Conclusions These CaCV isolates have restricted cell tropism, antigenic diversity and genetic variation. Further investigation will shed light on antigenic relation to other vesiviruses, and its pathogenicity for dogs and potential infectivity to other animals. Together with the previously reported CaCV strains provides significant evidence to support the formation of a new CaCV species in the Vesivirus genus. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12985-018-0944-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A candidate new canine picornavirus was isolated from a respiratory swab collected from an American foxhound ( Canis lupus familiaris ) in 1968. The assembled genome sequence of strain A128thr is 7,618 bases in length, comprising a complete protein-coding sequence of the 2,213-amino-acid polyprotein and partial terminal untranslated sequences.

Human adenoviruses (HAdV), in particular types 4 and 7, frequently cause acute respiratory disease (ARD) during basic military training. HAdV4 and HAdV7 vaccines reduced the ARD risk in U.S. military. It is important to identify other respiratory pathogens and assess their potential impact on military readiness. In 2002, during a period when the HAdV vaccines were not available, throat swabs were taken from trainees (n = 184) with respiratory infections at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Viral etiology was investigated initially with viral culture and neutralization assay and recently in this study by sequencing the viral isolates. Viral culture and neutralization assays identified 90 HAdV4 isolates and 27 additional cultures that showed viral cytopathic effects (CPE), including some with picornavirus-like CPE. Next-generation sequencing confirmed these results and determined viral genotypes, including 77 HAdV4, 4 HAdV3, 1 HAdV2, 17 coxsackievirus A21 (CAV21), and 1 enterovirus D68. Two samples were positive for both HAdV4 and CAV21. The identified genotypes are phylogenetically close to but distinct from those found during other years or in other military/non-military sites. HAdV4 is the predominant respiratory pathogen in unvaccinated military trainee. HAdV4 has temporal and demographic variability. CAV21 is a significant respiratory pathogen and needs to be evaluated for its current significance in military basic trainees.