Feline bocaparvovirus in domestic cats with gastrointestinal disease.

Feline bocaparvoviruses (FeBoVs) have been detected in association with gastrointestinal disease in domestic cats. This study investigated the prevalence and genetic characteristics of FeBoVs in Italy by screening 126 rectal swabs from cats with acute gastroenteritis, collected between 2023 and 2025. The samples were analyzed using a pan-bocaparvovirus consensus PCR and novel type-specific quantitative assays for FeBoV-1, -2, and -3. The overall prevalence of FeBoV DNA was 22.2% (28/126). FeBoV-1 was the most frequently detected type (19.0%), followed by FeBoV-2 (4.8%) and FeBoV-3 (1.6%). Co-infections with other enteric pathogens, including feline coronavirus and feline panleukopenia virus, were observed in 8.0% of the total samples. Using an ARTIC-like tiling PCR strategy and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, eleven complete genomes (six FeBoV-1, three FeBoV-2, and two FeBoV-3) were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated significant genetic diversity, with the Italian strains clustering alongside global isolates from Asia, Australia, and North America. Notably, recombination analysis identified putative intra-typic recombination events within the VP1/2 coding regions of FeBoV-1 and FeBoV-2 strains. These findings confirm that FeBoVs are common components of the feline enteric virome and underscore the role of natural recombination as a primary evolutionary driver.