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Hepadnaviruses have been identified in several animal species. The hepadnavirus prototype, human hepatitis B virus (HBV), is a major public health problem associated with chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently, a novel hepadnavirus, similar to HBV, was identified in domestic cats. Since several pathogens can be shared between cats and dogs, we hypothesized that dogs could also harbor hepadnaviruses and we tested a collection of canine sera with multiple molecular strategies. Overall, hepadnavirus DNA was identified in 6.3% (40/635) of canine serum samples, although the viral load in positive sera was low (geometric mean of 2.70 × 102 genome copies per mL, range min 1.36 × 102—max 4.03 × 104 genome copies per mL). On genome sequencing, the canine hepadnaviruses revealed high nucleotide identity (about 98%) and similar organization to the domestic cat hepadnavirus. Altered hepatic markers were found in hepadnavirus-positive dogs, although the role of hepadnavirus in canine health remains to be elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepadnaviruses infect several animal species. The prototype species, human hepatitis B virus (HBV), increases the risk of liver diseases and may cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently a novel hepadnavirus, similar to HBV, has been identified through transcriptomics studies in a domestic cat with large cell lymphoma in Australia. Herewith, a collection of 390 feline serum samples was screened for hepadnavirus. Overall, the virus was identified in 10.8% of the sera with a significantly higher prevalence (17.8%) in the sera of animals with a clinical suspect of infectious disease. Upon genome sequencing, the virus was closely related (97.0% nt identity) to the prototype Australian feline virus Sydney 2016. The mean and median values of hepadnavirus in the feline sera were 1.3 × 106 and 2.1 × 104 genome copies per mL (range 3.3 × 100–2.5 × 107 genome copies per mL). For a subset of hepadnavirus-positive samples, information on the hemato-chemical parameters was available and in 10/20 animals a profile suggestive of liver damage was present. Also, in 7/10 animals with suspected hepatic disease, virus load was >104 genome copies per mL, i.e. above the threshold considered at risk of active hepatitis and liver damage for HBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]