Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Nile virus antibodies found but no RNA in dog and cat brains
By Schaudien, Dirk et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2008·Department of Pathology, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Lack of detectable West Nile virus RNA in brains and kidneys of dogs and cats with immunohistological precipitates using virus-specific antibodies.
Plain-English summary
Five dogs and four cats in Germany showed signs of encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, but tests for West Nile virus (WNV) were inconclusive. While the animals had some positive reactions to specific antibodies for WNV in their brains and kidneys, further testing could not confirm an actual infection. This suggests that just because a test shows a reaction, it doesn't necessarily mean the pet has WNV, and additional testing is needed for a clear diagnosis.
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Abstract
Five dogs and four cats from Germany suffering from encephalitis revealed positive immunoreactivity using two West Nile virus (WNV) specific monoclonal antibodies in brain and in kidney. However, WNV-infection could not be confirmed by additional PCR analyses. This study indicated that positive immunoreactivity for WNV in dogs and cats must be interpreted cautiously and should be confirmed by a second virus-specific technique.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18572333/