Battling Canine Parvovirus with Novel Antiviral Peptide Therapy Proposal

Abstract

Canine Parvovirus (CPV), a gastrointestinal virus transmitted through feces that causes severe illness in infected individuals, remains incurable. Unlike its original counterpart, CPV-1, which only affected puppies, CPV-2 has crossed the species barrier numerous times and affects wild animals of all ages. CPV-2 has developed significantly, transforming from CPV-2A to CPV-2B and CPV-2C. Finding an effective treatment method is critical to limit the evolution of the virus and conserve endangered species. While there are preventative vaccines for domestic animals, efforts to address outbreaks in wild animals remain inadequate. This includes current therapies being tested, like monoclonal antibodies, which cannot serve as a long-term solution to combat the adaptive nature of the pathogen. Antiviral Peptide Therapy (APT) uses peptides, or short amino acid chains, designed to target specific viruses and prevent their replication. Here, we propose the novel application of APT for the global treatment of CPV-2 in endangered species and compare it with other therapies developed today. While APT has never been used on animals or to address CPV-2, this method may be more effective than current therapies being explored, and its potential to revive endangered species is very promising.