THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANINE DISTEMPER DISEASE USING RT-PCR

Abstract

The diagnosis of canine distemper (CD) by a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique using 2 sets of primer which were specific to two regions on the cDNA of nucleocapsid protein (NP) gene of the canine distemper virus (CDV), Onderstepoort strain. Together with pathology and immunohistochemistry, the RT-PCR test was used to confirm the diagnosis of canine distemper in 20 dogs. Histopathological examination revealed that 70% (14/20) had pneumonia, 50% (10/20) had non-suppurative encephalitis, 33% (7/20) had splenic follicular necrosis and 35% (7/ 20) had gastroenteritis.  Immunohistochemical detection of CDV antigens in the brain, lungs, and the gastrointestinal mucosa were 85% (17/20), 58% (11/19) and 40% (6/15), respectively. In addition, the positive detection of amplified NP gene by RT-PCR from the brain, lungs, and gastrointestinal tissues were 100% (18/18), 83% (15/18) and 75% (12/16), respectively. Necropsy diagnosis made by histopathology and immunohistochemistry corresponded to the positive results shown by RT-PCR.