Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Detecting canine distemper virus in dog spinal fluid and blood samples
By Sarchahi, Ali Asghar et al.·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2022·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Detection of canine distemper virus in cerebrospinal fluid, whole blood and mucosal specimens of dogs with distemper using RT-PCR and immunochromatographic assays.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 dogs showing neurological symptoms, such as seizures or coordination problems, were tested for canine distemper virus (CDV) using samples from their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, and mucosal swabs. The tests showed that CSF was the most reliable sample type for detecting CDV, especially in dogs with recent or ongoing systemic symptoms. In fact, 85% of CSF samples tested positive for the virus, compared to 55% from blood and 50% from mucosal swabs. This study highlights the importance of using CSF for accurate diagnosis in dogs with neurological signs, ensuring they receive the right treatment promptly.
People also search for: dog neurological symptoms · canine distemper virus diagnosis · CSF testing for dogs · dog seizures treatment · canine distemper treatment options
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accurate diagnosis of canine distemper (CD), a highly contagious and acute viral disease, cannot be made solely based on clinical signs and haematological findings, but serological and molecular methods compatible with clinical signs are also required. The type of sample and method of tissue sampling are also very important. Sometimes in chronic cases, the canine distemper virus (CDV) may not be detected in blood and conjunctival specimens but can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the suitability of CSF samples with whole blood and conjunctival samples in the detection of CDV. METHODS: The CDV was detected in CSF, whole blood and mucosal specimens in 20 dogs with obvious neurological with or without systemic signs congruous with CD by RT-PCR and rapid immunochromatographic (IC) antigen test kit assays. RESULTS: Rapid kit results were positive for mucosal swabs in 10 cases (50%) and for CSF in 17 cases (85%); RT-PCR results from whole blood were positive in 11 cases (55%) and from CSF in 16 cases (80%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that dogs with neurological signs showing simultaneous or recent systemic symptoms, whole blood, CSF and mucosal swabs are suitable for the diagnosis of CDV by RT-PCR and rapid IC antigen test kits, but dogs with neurological symptoms that are systematically asymptomatic or have had systemic signs for a long time, whole blood and mucosal swabs are not good samples while CSF is a good one.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35363942/