Porcine kobuvirus enhances porcine epidemic diarrhea virus pathogenicity and alters the number of intestinal lymphocytes in piglets

Recent epidemiological studies have discovered that a lot of cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection are frequently accompanied by PKV infection, suggesting a potential relationship between the two viruses in the development of diarrhea. To investigate the impact of PKV on PEDV pathogenicity and the number of intestinal lymphocytes, piglets were infected with PKV or PEDV or co-infected with both viruses. Our findings demonstrate that co-infected piglets exhibit more severe symptoms, acute gastroenteritis, and higher PEDV replication compared to those infected with PEDV alone. Notably, PKV alone does not cause significant intestinal damage but enhances PEDV's pathogenicity and alters the number of intestinal lymphocytes. These results underscore the complexity of viral interactions in swine diseases and highlight the need for comprehensive diagnostic and treatment strategies addressing co-infections.