Outbreak of ocular disease associated with naturally-acquired canine herpesvirus-1 infection in a closed domestic dog colony.
OBJECTIVE
To describe clinical and virological findings of an outbreak of ocular disease attributed to naturally-acquired primary canine herpesvirus-1 (CHV-1) infection in a closed domestic dog colony.


METHODS
Twenty-seven 10- to 16-week-old laboratory Beagles.


METHODS
Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed and ocular samples collected for CHV-1 polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation.


RESULTS
The prevalence of ocular morbidity was 100% in examined dogs. Lesions were restricted to the ocular surface and included bilateral conjunctivitis (100% of dogs); punctate, dendritic, or geographic ulcerative keratitis (26% of dogs); and non-ulcerative keratitis (19% of dogs). Conjunctival petechiae were detected in 22% of dogs. Punctate and dendritic corneal ulcers were frequently organized into discrete groups or linear arrangements. Non-ulcerative keratitis appeared clinically as a perilimbal ring of superficial corneal vascularization and leukocyte infiltration. CHV-1 was detected in ocular samples by polymerase chain reaction or virus isolation in all dogs sampled.


CONCLUSIONS
In susceptible populations of domestic dogs, CHV-1 may be associated with outbreaks of highly contagious ocular infection in the absence of concurrent overt systemic disease. This naturally-acquired outbreak of CHV-1 infection provides an opportunity to report the spectrum and prevalence of ocular lesions associated with primary ocular CHV-1 infection in dogs. Conjunctivitis was the most frequent ocular lesion detected. Ulcerative and non-ulcerative keratitis were less prevalent and of variable clinical appearance. Dendritic ulcerative keratitis, a classic and relatively specific ocular lesion associated with alphaherpesvirus infection, was detected in < 20% of dogs.
Ledbetter
Eric C
EC
Department of Clinical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. ecl32@cornell.edu
Kim
Sung G
SG
Dubovi
Edward J
EJ
D000818:Animals; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D002184:Herpesvirus 1, Canid; D008297:Male; D014777:Virus Diseases