To investigate whether kokuvirus is present in Japanese dogs, we examined the fecal samples obtained from 94 diarrheal household dogs and 50 clinically healthy kenneled dogs by RT-PCR. The gene was detected in 37.2% and 48.0% in the former and the latter, respectively, suggesting that canine kobuvirus (CaKoV) is circulating among Japanese dogs. From the result of the latter, however, CaKoV may not be a primary pathogen. Furthermore, all gene-positive dogs were purebreds aged four months or younger. This finding suggests that CaKoV endemic is confined in multi-dog environments, and the dogs have a strong age-dependent resistance to CaKoV.
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