title: Broadly reactive pan-paramyxovirus reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis for the detection of Canine distemper virus in a case of canine meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology.
abstract: Despite the immunologic protection associated with routine vaccination protocols, Canine distemper virus (CDV) remains an important pathogen of dogs. Antemortem diagnosis of systemic CDV infection may be made by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or immunohistochemical testing for CDV antigen; central nervous system infection often requires postmortem confirmation via histopathology and immunohistochemistry. An 8-month-old intact male French Bulldog previously vaccinated for CDV presented with multifocal neurologic signs. Based on clinical and postmortem findings, the dog's disease was categorized as a meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology. Broadly reactive, pan-paramyxovirus RT-PCR using consensus-degenerate hybrid oligonucleotide primers, combined with sequence analysis, identified CDV amplicons in the dog's brain. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of CDV antigens, and a specific CDV RT-PCR based on the phosphoprotein gene identified a wild-type versus vaccinal virus strain. This case illustrates the utility of broadly reactive PCR and sequence analysis for the identification of pathogens in diseases with unknown etiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. schatz13@uga.edu
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schatzberg
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Brian F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Renee M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Mary Kate
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Claiborne
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Gwendolyn J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiupel
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruone
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Suxiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000235:genetics*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010252:Paramyxoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines