Polymerase chain reaction analysis for viruses in paraffin-embedded myocardium from dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy or myocarditis.
OBJECTIVE
To perform polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis on paraffin-embedded myocardium from dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and dogs with myocarditis to screen for canine parvovirus, adenovirus types 1 and 2, and herpesvirus.


METHODS
Myocardial specimens from 18 dogs with an antemortem diagnosis of DCM and 9 dogs with a histopathologic diagnosis of myocarditis were evaluated.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded myocardial specimens were screened for viral genome by PCR analysis. Positive-control specimens were developed from cell cultures as well as paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from dogs with clinical and histopathologic diagnoses of viral infection with canine parvovirus, adenovirus types 1 and 2, and herpesvirus. The histologic characteristics of all myocardial specimens were classified regarding extent, location, and type of inflammation and fibrosis.


RESULTS
Canine adenovirus type 1 was amplified from 1 specimen from a dog with DCM. Canine parvovirus, adenovirus type 2, and herpesvirus were not amplified from any myocardial specimens. Histologic analysis of specimens from dogs with DCM revealed variable amounts of fibrosis; myocardial inflammation was observed in 1 affected dog. Histopathologic analysis of specimens from dogs with myocarditis disclosed variable degrees of inflammation and fibrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Viral agents canine parvovirus, adenovirus types 1 and 2, and herpesvirus are not commonly associated with DCM or active myocarditis in dogs. Additional studies evaluating for nucleic acid from viruses that less commonly affect dogs or different types of infectious agents may be warranted to gain insight into the cause of DCM and myocarditis in dogs.
Maxson
T R
TR
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbus 43210, USA.
Meurs
K M
KM
Lehmkuhl
L B
LB
Magnon
A L
AL
Weisbrode
S E
SE
Atkins
C E
CE
D000818:Animals; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D005355:Fibrosis; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006321:Heart / Q000821:virology*; D007249:Inflammation; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D017993:Parvovirus, Canine / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*