Canine distemper vírus : detection of viral RNA by RT-PCR in dogs with clinical diagnosis.

Author(s)

Rosana Alcalde

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas
• Defense date: 08 dez. 1999

Examining board members

Edison Luiz Durigon; Mitika Kuribayashi Hagiwara; José Antonio Jerez

• Advisor: Edison Luiz Durigon

Abstract

Canine distemper vírus (CDV) is a highly contagious Viral pathogen which may cause lethal systemic in dogs and other carnivores throughout the world. Affected dogs show gastrointestinal and respiratory clinical slgns, and frequently develop clinical signs in the central nervous system (CNS). Clinical manifestations of the disease include depression, progressive loss of weight, dehydration, hyperkeratosis of the foot pads and nose, nervous symptoms and muscular spasms or posterior paralysis which may perslst for long periods. Infected dogs with clinical symptoms for CDV, were by detection of viral RNA by Polymerase Chaln Reaction (PCR) and Nested PCR. In this study,w e determinebdy the RT-PCRth e presenceo f nucleoprotein (NP) gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, urine and saliva from dogs infected with CDV. The goals of this study was to detect CDV renome by RT-PCR in different clinical samples. In this study, Identificatlon of NP mRNA was successfully achieved by using the RT-PCR method with two sets of NP gene specific primers. The RT-PCR technique described in thls study, may provide a useful assay system to determine whether the dogs suspected of CDV infection have detectable leveis of CDV genes. The results demonstrate that RT-PCR technique is rapid, sensitivity and specificity for vírus diagnosis. (AU)