Background: Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5), is a negative‐sense, non-segmented, single‐stranded RNA virus a member of the Paramyxoviridae family, causes respiratory and neurological infection in several animal species. Whereas information on PIV5 infection in digestive system is very scarce. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, genetic characteristics, and host range of PIV5 in diarrheic piglets in northern China and assess its potential zoonotic risk. Method: Fecal samples from diarrheic piglets in Heilongjiang province of China were collected and submitted to our lab for routine diagnostic purposes. In addition, a total of 530 serum samples were collected from randomly selected pigs from different age groups in Heilongjiang province, China. Serum samples and stool suspensions were stored at −80◦Cuntiluse Result: The PIV5 strain was identified as paramyxovirus-like particles measuring 80–200 nm in diameter through electron microscopy following four rounds of plaque purification and ultracentrifugation. Genome-wide phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between the isolated strain and PIV5 strains from lesser pandas and pigs in China. The virus demonstrated the ability to agglutinate guinea pig and chicken red blood cells and infect cell lines from multiple species, including pigs, humans, and other mammals as confirmed by Immunofluorescent assay, highlighting its potential for cross-species transmission. To assess its prevalence in swine, an indirect ELISA (iELISA) using recombinant nucleocapsid protein was developed, achieving 94.12% sensitivity, 96.4% specificity, and 95.22% agreement with IFA and no cross-reactivity with antibodies against other porcine viruses was observed. Testing of 530 swine serum samples revealed a high PIV5-positive rate of 75.7%, indicating widespread infection in swine herds. These findings emphasize the zoonotic risk of PIV5, offering critical insights into their evolution, biological characteristics, and potential impact on animal and human health. Conclusion: This study highlights the zoonotic potential of the PIV5 strain and provide valuable insights into the biological properties and evolution of the virus, contributing to the understanding of its impact on swine health and cross-species transmission.

He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nyala and a Research Fellow at the Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, specializing in molecular virology, immunology, and animal infectious diseases. His research primarily focuses on virus-like particle and subunit vaccine development, along with advanced diagnostic methods for animal viruses. He possesses expertise in bioinformatics, molecular biology, diagnostic assay development, virus detection and characterization, recombinant protein expression, and monoclonal antibody production. With over 15 peer-reviewed publications, he also brings extensive teaching experience and international research exposure.