Abstract
Core vaccinations and specific antibody titer evaluations are strongly recommended worldwide by all the vaccination guidelines. Virus neutralization (VN) is considered the gold standard for measuring antibody titer against canine distemper virus, but it is complex and time consuming, and the use of in-clinics tests would allow to obtain quicker results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the agreement of the commercial in-clinics VacciCheck test compared to VN. A total of 106 canine sera were analyzed using both methods. The best agreement was obtained using a protective threshold of ≥1:32. VacciCheck showed 95.5% sensitivity, 87.2% specificity, and 92.5% accuracy. The Cohen’s kappa coefficient between methods was 0.84 (CI 95% 0.73 to 0.95), revealing an optimal agreement between the two methods (p = 0.0073). The evaluation of discordant results reveal that most samples had less than 1.5 dilution difference, and that usually did not affect the classification as protected or non-protected. Results also suggest that, in dubious cases, especially when a protective result is expected, retesting is advisable. In conclusion, VacciCheck may be considered as a reliable instrument that may help the clinician in identifying the best vaccine protocol, avoiding unnecessary vaccination, and thus reducing the incidence of adverse effects.
Highlights
A total of 132 canine serum samples were first included in the study and sent to the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia for canine distemper virus (CDV) virus neutralization assay
In this study the aim was to investigate the agreement between VacciCheck and virus neutralization, which is considered as the gold standard for the evaluation of antibody titers against CDV
As suggested by all vaccination guidelines and experts [5–9], vaccinations should be considered as one component of a comprehensive preventive healthcare plan that should be tailored to individual features
Summary
Canine distemper is a severe infectious disease of the dog. Despite the wide host range, including many wild species belonging the families of Canidae, Mustelidae, Procyonidae, Ursidae, and Viverridae, dogs represent the main reservoir for canine distemper virus (CDV) [1]. In Italy, distemper infection had been reported in different southern areas due to the issue of stray dogs’ circulation, but it represents an emerging problem in the whole country due to the trade of importation of illegal puppies from east Europe [2,3] It is caused by CDV, an enveloped, single negative-stranded RNA virus belonging to the genus. Dogs could be infected at any age, but puppies between 6 weeks and 6 months of age are prone to contract the infection due to the progressive decrease of maternally derived antibodies (MDA) [1] For this reason, vaccination is considered the main method to control the disease and to reduce the severity of clinical signs. All the international guidelines for the vaccination of dogs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
