Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Detecting canine herpesvirus in adult dogs with reproductive issues
By Pratelli, A et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2014·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serological and virological detection of canine herpesvirus-1 in adult dogs with and without reproductive disorders.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 14.6% of adult dogs in Italy tested positive for canine herpesvirus 1 (CaHV-1), which can cause reproductive issues and affect puppy survival. Researchers examined blood samples from 865 dogs and also looked at 13 dogs with reproductive problems. They did not find any CaHV-1 in vaginal swabs, but the virus is still considered a risk for breeding dogs. The findings suggest that vaccinating breeding females may help prevent reproductive disorders linked to this virus.
People also search for: dog reproductive disorders · canine herpesvirus vaccine · why is my dog having trouble breeding
Abstract
Canine herpesvirus 1 (CaHV-1) is known to cause reproductive disorders in adult dogs and neonatal mortality in puppies. The seroprevalence of CaHV-1 has not been documented in Italy. Sera from 865 dogs were screened for CaHV-1 using a serum neutralization assay (SN). All CaHV-1 positive sera and 100 CaHV-1 negative sera were also tested using an in-house immunofluorescence (IF) test. Thirteen bitches with reproductive disorders and three bitches with no history of reproductive diseases were also examined clinically so that lesions associated with CaHV-1 and CaHV-1 DNA could be identified using PCR analysis of vaginal swabs. An overall seroprevalence of 14.6% was observed using SN, and 18.6% using IF. The correlation between SN and IF was moderate. The SN assay demonstrated a greater sensitivity than IF, with a few exceptions. None of the vaginal swabs tested positive for CaHV-1 DNA. The differences in the seropositivity rates between SN and IF were not statistically significant (P = 0.16). Using the SN test as the reference standard, the sensitivity and specificity of IF were 29% and 95%, respectively. These results suggest that CaHV-1 is common in canine populations and could pose a threat to neonatal survival and canine fertility in breeding kennels in Italy. Vaccination of breeding bitches should be recommended if there is a history of reproductive disorders.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24685471/