Classification and putative origins of Brazilian porcine circovirus 2 inferred through phylogenetic and phylogeographical approaches

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) is the major causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and is associated with different syndromes affecting pigs. The PCV2 genome has three main open reading frames (ORFs) among which the ORF2 encodes the capsid protein. In this study, the ORF2 nucleotide sequences of 30 Brazilian isolates were analyzed. The sequences were compared to other GenBank sequences using phylogenic and phylogeographic approaches. Our results show high sequence variability in Brazil, since, in this work, the Brazilian isolates were classified into subgroup 1AB, 2D and 2, which reveals that the virus was introduced in Brazil more than once. On the other hand, most of Brazilian isolates seem to be derived from only one introduction. According to the data from the Pig Breeders’ Association, the multiple introductions of the virus probably occurred through the import of animals with the asymptomatic form of the virus or through the import of contaminated semen. The results point to the necessity of implementing programs aimed at selecting sows in order to avoid the import of animals infected by Group 1 PCV2.