Production of immunoglobulin G and increased antiviral antibody in cerebrospinal fluid of dogs with delayed-onset canine distemper viral encephalitis.
Sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from four dogs with delayed-onset canine distemper viral (CDV) encephalitis (old dog encephalitis) were compared with samples from dogs with acute CDV and from recently vaccinated controls. Dogs with old dog encephalitis (ODE) had elevated CSF IgG concentrations (122 micrograms/ml) compared to controls (13 micrograms/ml) without elevated CSF albumin; their CSF IgG index was significantly greater. CSF proteins banding in the alkaline region of isoelectric focusing gels were immunochemically identified as IgG. Detectable viral neutralizing antibody was present in ODE CSF, and formed a larger proportion of IgG in CSF than in serum. Serum samples containing 2 mg IgG bound to all viral polypeptides of both R252 and Onderstepoort CDV isolates by immunoblot analysis. CSF samples of ODE patients bound viral antigens when diluted to contain as little as 5-40 micrograms IgG, while patient serum could be diluted to 40-200 micrograms IgG content compared to serum IgG of 100 micrograms/ml in vaccinated controls. Serial CSF dilutions consistently bound to H and NP polypeptides at the highest dilutions, similar to the binding of serums from recently vaccinated dogs. Thus, dogs with delayed-onset CDV encephalitis have elevated concentrations of CSF IgG, much of which is virus-specific, with an antigen binding pattern similar to that of sera of recently immunized dogs.
Johnson
G C
GC
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
Fenner
W R
WR
Krakowka
S
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004216:Distemper / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000276:immunology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D014611:Vaccination; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014764:Viral Proteins