DETECTING CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS FROM OCULAR SWAB AND BLOOD SAMPLES OF DOGS BY REAL-TIME RT-PCR METHOD

Abstract

CDV is a highly contagious, systemic and viral infection encountered all around the world. This study aimed to investigation of the the prevalence of CDV seen in dogs in Burdur. For this purpose, ocular swab and blood samples were taken from 65 CDV pre-diagnosed dogs that were brought into Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Veterinary Faculty clinics. Real-time RT-PCR method was applied on the subject samples in order to get a laboratory diagnosis of CDV. In total, 42 of these, 16 from blood and 26 from ocular swab, were detected as positive by real-time RT-PCR. Nine of them were detected as positive both in ocular swab and blood samples. In addition, 11 of 42 samples (33 animals) detected as positive by real-time RT-PCR were already known to have been taken from dogs vaccinated against CDV previously. In the study, test results of the samples taken from diseased dogs and their relations with vaccine history were evaluated statistically as well. In the light of these results, it is recommended to use ocular swab samples as materials in diagnosing CDV and examining all animals (including those vaccinated) with clinical findings in terms of this infection so as to confine the disease.