Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Test to find brain infections in dogs with meningoencephalitis
By Han, Jae-Ik et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary science·2015·College of Veterinary Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction panel for detecting neurologic pathogens in dogs with meningoencephalitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) were tested for various infectious causes using a specialized test called a multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (mqPCR) panel. This test was able to detect several pathogens, including those that can cause serious neurological issues. Out of 53 dogs tested, 15% had infections from pathogens like Cryptococcus, Blastomyces, and Borrelia. Using this sensitive test can help veterinarians quickly identify the right treatment for affected dogs, potentially leading to better recovery outcomes.
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Abstract
Meningoencephalitis (ME) is a common inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system in dogs. Clinically, ME has both infectious and non-infectious causes. In the present study, a multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (mqPCR) panel was optimized for the detection of eight canine neurologic pathogens (Blastomyces dermatitidis, Cryptococcus spp., Neospora caninum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bartonella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Ehrlichia canis, and canine distemper virus [CDV]). The mqPCR panel was subsequently applied to 53 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected from dogs with ME. The analytic sensitivity (i.e., limit of detection, expressed as molecules per 1 mL of recombinant vector) was 3.8 for CDV, 3.7 for Ehrlichia canis, 3.7 for Bartonella spp., 3.8 for Borrelia burgdorferi, 3.7 for Blastomyces dermatitidis, 3.7 for Cryptococcus spp., 38 for Neospora caninum, and 3.7 for Toxoplasma gondii. Among the tested CSF samples, seven (15%) were positive for the following pathogens in decreasing order of frequency: Cryptococcus spp. (3/7), Blastomyces dermatitidis (2/7), and Borrelia burgdorferi (2/7). In summary, use of an mqPCR panel with high analytic sensitivity as an initial screen for infectious agents in dogs with ME could facilitate the selection of early treatment strategies and improve outcomes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26040611/