A comparison of the immune responses of dogs exposed to canine distemper virus (CDV) - Differences between vaccinated and wild-type virus exposed dogs

Canine distemper virus (CDV)-specific immune response was measured in different dog populations. Three groups of vaccinated or wild-type virus exposed dogs were tested: dogs with a known vaccination history, dogs without a known vaccination history (shelter dogs), and dogs with potential exposure to wild-type CDV. The use of a T-cell proliferation assay demonstrated a detectable CDV-specific T-cell response from both spleen and blood lymphocytes of dogs. Qualitatively, antibody assays [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization assay] predicted the presence of a T-cell response well, although quantitatively neither antibody assays nor the T-cell assay correlated well with each other. An interesting finding from our study was that half of the dogs in shelters were not vaccinated (potentially posing a public veterinary health problem) and that antibody levels in dogs living in an environment with endemic CDV were lower than in vaccinated animals.     

Three-year duration of immunity in dogs vaccinated with a canarypox-vectored recombinant canine distemper virus vaccine

Two studies evaluated the duration of serologic response to the recombinant, canarypox-vectored canine distemper virus vaccine (Recombitek, Merial). Serologic duration of immunity was shown to be at least 36 months. Thus, Recombitek provides protection when administered less frequently than the manufacturer's label. After the initial vaccination protocol of two or more doses administered approximately 4 weeks apart, with the last dose given at 12 to 16 weeks of age or older, and re-vaccination at 1 year of age, Recombitek can confidently be readministered every 3 years with assurance of protection in immunocompetent dogs. This allows the vaccine to be administered in accordance with the recommendations of the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force and others.     

Detection of intracellular canine distemper virus antigen in mink inoculated with an attenuated or a virulent strain of canine distemper virus

Using an indirect immunofluorescence technique, the distribution of viral antigen in various tissues and blood mononuclear leukocytes was studied in wild mink, either vaccinated with an attenuated vaccine strain of canine distemper virus (CDV) or experimentally inoculated with the virulent Snyder-Hill strain of CDV. Viral antigen was detected in cells of the lymphoid system 6 to 12 days after vaccination. From 2 to 3 days after inoculation with the virulent strain, CDV antigen was demonstrated in cells of the lymphoid system and, during the incubation period, the antigen had spread to the epithelia and brain at days 6 and 12, respectively. In clinical cases of acute fatal canine distemper, the viral antigen was detected in a wide variety of tissues, including the cells of the lymphoid system, epithelial cells of skin, mucous membranes, lung, kidney, and cells of the CNS. The diagnostic importance of CDV antigen detection is discussed on the basis of these findings.     

犬瘟热病毒融合蛋白、血凝蛋白、基质蛋白和核衣壳蛋白基因DNA联合免疫的研究

为研究犬瘟热病毒(CDV)融合蛋白(F)、血凝蛋白(H)、基质膜蛋白(M)和核衣壳蛋白(N)基因核酸联合免疫的效力,本研究分别构建了表达经哺乳动物密码子优化的CDV F、H、M和N蛋白基因的真核重组表达质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM和p CAGG-CDVN;将其分别转染BHK-21细胞后通过间接免疫荧光试验表明,目的蛋白均获得正确表达。此外,将等量混合的重组质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM(3组份DNA疫苗)或重组质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM、p CAGG-CDVN(4组份DNA疫苗),分别以500μg/只经肌肉注射途径免疫A组(6只)或B组(6只)比格犬,间隔4周以相同剂量、途径加强免疫一次,并于初次免疫前、后不同时间检测血清CDV中和抗体。中和试验结果显示,A组和B组免疫犬,二免4周时,CDV中和抗体滴度平均值达到峰值,分别为6 log2和5.64 log2;在初免54周时,CDV中和抗体滴度均仍然维持5 log2。因此,3组份DNA疫苗为具有良好应用前景的犬瘟热候选疫苗。     

Immunoglobulin class response to canine distemper virus in gnotobiotic dogs

Serial serum samples from 27 gnotobiotic dogs infected with R252-canine distemper virus (CDV) were tested for anti-viral IgG, IgM and IgA immunoglobulins using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were compared retrospectively to clinicopathological course of disease and to previously reported patterns of complement-fixing and virus neutralizing antibody titers determined in these same sera. Virus-specific IgA was never detected in the sera. High levels of IgG correlated with recovery from disease, whereas the antiviral IgM levels were equivalent in both persistently infected animals and those animals which recovered from disease. The inability to sustain a significant antiviral antibody response in either IgM or IgG classes was characteristic of dogs with fatal encephalitis. The data suggests that IgG is the most important Ig class for recovery from disease.     

Effect of recombinant canine distemper vaccine on antibody titers in previously vaccinated dogs

Two canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine types are currently commercially available: modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines and a canarypox recombinant CDV (rCDV) vaccine (Recombitek, Merial). This study compared the ability of the rCDV vaccine and MLV vaccines to significantly enhance (boost) the antibody response of previously immunized adult and juvenile dogs. A significant (fourfold or greater) increase in titer occurred in significantly more dogs revaccinated with Recombitek C-4 or Recombitek C-6 than with the MLV-CDV vaccines. This study demonstrates that Recombitek, the only vaccine for dogs containing rCDV, is more likely to significantly boost the CDV antibody response in previously vaccinated dogs than are the MLV-CDV vaccines. Because rCDV vaccine can boost the antibody titer of dogs previously vaccinated with an MLV vaccine, it can and should be used when core vaccines are readministered.     

犬瘟热病毒重组核蛋白间接ELISA方法的建立

将已构建成功的重组质粒pGEX-4T-1-N转化大肠杆菌BL21株,在最佳诱导条件下获得犬瘟热病毒(CDV)重组N蛋白。将表达产物纯化后进行SDS-PAGE和W estern-b lot分析,与CDV标准阳性血清呈阳性反应。本研究初步建立了以纯化的N蛋白为包被抗原的间接ELISA检测方法,经初步试验证实,该方法敏感、特异。试验结果表明,大肠杆菌中表达的CDV N蛋白在免疫原性上与天然核衣壳蛋白具有较高相似性,可作为诊断用抗原。     

Comparative analyses of canine distemper viral isolates from clinical cases of canine distemper in vaccinated dogs

Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of three isolates of canine distemper virus (CDV) isolated from three dogs with a vaccination history were compared with the same analyses of vaccine virus isolated from a vaccine used for dogs. The three dogs showed clinical signs of a recent major type of CD in Japan, including oculonasal discharge and diarrhea, and pathological findings including non-suppurative encephalitis, pneumonia, mild gastroenteritis and lymphoid depletion. Inclusion bodies were in the stomach without inflammation and encephalitis was without clinical signs. One of the highest titers of CDV in different organs of the three dogs was commonly systemic lymphatic organs, including the spleen, lymph nodes and tonsils. New isolates of CDV joined to the clades of the Asia 1 group that is far from the vaccine group. These results surely indicate that wild strains of CDV from dogs with a vaccination history were not reversed vaccine virus, and that the dogs showed characteristics of recent CD in Japan.     

抗犬瘟热病毒重组核衣壳蛋白单克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

以纯化的重组犬瘟热病毒(CDV)N蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,应用常规杂交瘤技术获得两株能稳定分泌特异性单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞系,分别命名为A_4C_6C_(12)和A_5B_8H_7。间接ELISA检测腹水效价分别为1:10~6、1:10~5;亚类鉴定结果分别为IgG2a、IgG2b,轻链均为κ型;Western blot和ELISA分析结果显示2株单克隆抗体均能与重组N蛋白和CDV发生反应,而与犬细小病毒及犬腺病毒等无交叉反应;ELISA叠加试验的增值结果表明两株单克隆抗体识别的抗原位点不同。特异性抗CDV-rN的单克隆抗体的获得,为进一步用于临床诊断研究奠定了基础。     

Central nervous system lesions caused by canine distemper virus in 4 vaccinated dogs

We examined the cerebellum and cerebrum of 4 vaccinated dogs, 3–60-mo-old, that displayed clinical signs of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection, and died 7–40 d after developing neurologic signs. The main histologic lesions were demyelination, gliosis, meningitis, perivascular lymphocytic cuffing, and inclusion bodies. These lesions were similar in all 4 cases regardless of the time since vaccination, except that meningoencephalitis and gliosis were subacute in 3 dogs and chronic in 1 dog. However, these differences did not appear to be related to their vaccination status. Immunohistologically, a CDV-positive immunoreaction was seen mainly in astrocytes, neurons and their axons, lymphocytes around and in the blood vessels of the pia mater and choroid plexus, ependymal cells of each ventricle, and the cells of the choroid plexus. The histologic and immunohistologic changes were similar in the cerebellum and cerebrum. The genetic characterization of the virus strains in 2 of these naturally occurring canine distemper cases confirmed that they were South American wild-type strains (Kiki and Uy251) belonging to the EU1/SA1 lineage. These strains are not included in the commercial CDV vaccines available in Uruguay.     

犬瘟热病毒核衣壳蛋白保守区的表达与鉴定

根据发表的犬瘟热病毒基因序列设计一对引物,利用PCR方法从重组质粒pcDNA-N中扩增到CDVNP保守区基因片段,并按预定的阅读框架插入表达质粒载体pGEX-6p-1中的谷胱苷肽转移酶（GST）基因的下游,获得重组质粒pNP-CDV并转化大肠杆菌BL21。序列测定表明,克隆到的基因片段大小为1065bp,与已发表的毒株核衣壳蛋白基因序列具有很高的同源性。通过对茵体裂解物的SDS．PAGE、Western blot鉴定以及IFA试验,证明携带重组质粒pNP-CDV的大肠杆菌的可以表达融合蛋白形式的核衣壳蛋白保守区域（命名为GST-NP,分子量约为64ku）,该融合蛋白具有免疫原性和对CDV高免血清的反应活性。GST-NP的表达,将为临床检测CDV抗体提供诊断抗原。     

Characterisation of humoral immune responses in dogs vaccinated with irradiated Ancylostoma caninum

Infection with Ancylostoma caninum, an intestinal hookworm of dogs, can cause debilitating and potentially life-threatening disease. In the current study, protective immunity to hookworm infection was induced in dogs following vaccination with irradiation-attenuated third-stage larvae (L3) with significant reductions in both worm (P<0.03) and faecal egg counts (P<0.0004) following a challenge infection. Vaccination with irradiated L3 and challenge with infective L3 stimulated a dominant antibody response to antigens of less than 20 kDa in an excretory/secretory extract from adult parasites. Immunoscreening of an adult A. caninum cDNA library with antisera from the vaccine trial identified a number of clones. The three clones with the strongest immunoreactivity proved to be identical and encoded a peptide with similarity to the N-terminal domain of the tissue matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor (TIMP)-2 mammalian tissue metalloproteinase inhibitor family.     

Detection by RT-PCR and genetic characterization of canine distemper virus from vaccinated and non-vaccinated dogs in Argentina

RT-PCR was used to detect canine distemper virus (CDV) RNA in clotted blood from Argentine domestic dogs. The NP gene was detected in 73 out of 99 blood samples analyzed. The deduced amino acid sequence of these gene fragments showed 100% identity with the sequence of other wild-type and vaccine strains. A fragment of the hemagglutinin gene was amplified from 24 (32.9%) of the NP-RNA-positive clinical specimens. These H fragments were further analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing. A single NdeI site was detected in all 24 wild-type strains but was absent in the vaccine strains. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial hemagglutinin amino acid sequences showed close clustering for local strains, clearly distinct from vaccine strains and other wild-type foreign CDV strains. One of the local strains, Arg 23, branched out of the root of the Argentine clade, close to the European strains, suggesting that two different pathogenic CDV genotypes are currently circulating in Argentina, one of them clearly predominant.     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies directed against the canine distemper virus nucleocapsid protein

We have established four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the nucleocapsid protein (NP) of canine distemper virus (CDV). A competitive binding assay has revealed that the MAbs are directed against two antigenic domains. An immunofluorescence assay using a series of deletion clones of the NP and an immunoprecipitation assay using the NP have revealed that two of the MAbs recognize the C-terminal region of the NP while the other two recognize the tertiary structure of the N-terminal domain. These MAbs reacted with all eight strains of CDV used in this study, but showed different reactivities against measles virus and rinderpest virus.     

Immunohistochemical investigation of cerebellum in dogs infected with canine distemper virus

The cerebella of 21 dogs with canine distemper virus (CDV) infection and four normal dogs were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Cerebella of CDV-infected dogs showed nonsuppurative demyelinating encephalomyelitis, classified as acute, subacute or chronic. Immunolocalisation of CDV antigen also confirmed the infection. Tissues were examined for co-localisation of the CDV antigen with either an astrocyte-specific marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), or an oligodendrocyte-specific marker, galactocerebroside (GalC). Immunoreactive cells were counted in demyelinating areas of the white matter. The number of astrocytes (GFAP positive) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in CDV-infected dogs compared to controls. In contrast, the number of oligodendrocytes (GalC positive) was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in CDV-infected dogs and was much lower in chronic cases (p < 0.05). Approximately 41% of astrocytes and 17% of oligodendrocytes were immunoreactive for CDV. The ratio of CDV-infected oligodendrocytes and astrocytes remained almost constant during the progression of the disease (P > 0.05). In conclusion, CDV infects both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The gradual loss of oligodendrocytes is most likely responsible for the progressive demyelination in CDV infection. Astrocytosis in CDV infection should be further investigated if it occurs to stimulate oligodendrocytes for myelin production to compensate for the loss or to induce oligodendrocyte degeneration.     

Identification of a genetic variant of canine distemper virus from clinical cases in two vaccinated dogs in Mexico

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious viral pathogen of worldwide distribution that can cause lethal disease in dogs and other mammals. Genetic diversity is found among reference strains and isolates of CDV, mainly in the haemagglutinin protein (H), fusion protein (F) and nucleoprotein (N), and this may be associated with the increasing incidence of distemper in dogs. CDV was identified by RT-PCR in serum samples taken from two clinically diseased, previously vaccinated Mexican dogs. Subsequently, in both samples, a fragment of the CDV N gene was sequenced revealing a 100% identity between nucleotide sequences. However, the sequence obtained was different to that found in virus strains used in vaccines and in isolates reported elsewhere, but was closely related to A75/17, 1127/Gi95, and 2495/Gi95 sequences from USA and Germany, and clustered with 1127/Gi95 and 2495/Gi95 strains. The results suggest that a novel CDV lineage may be present in Mexico.     

Immunohistochemical demonstration of canine distemper virus antigen as an aid in the diagnosis of canine distemper encephalomyelitis

Brain tissue from 33 dogs with non-suppurative encephalitis was examined for evidence of canine distemper virus (CDV) encephalitis. Sections were examined for lesions, inclusion bodies, syncytial cells and CDV antigen using a double bridge unlabelled antibody enzyme technique. Histopathological lesions considered to be typical of granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis were found in seven dogs. They all lacked inclusion bodies, syncytial cells and CDV antigen. The remaining 26 dogs all had histopathological lesions typical of CDV encephalitis. Inclusion bodies were found in 24 dogs, four of which also had syncytial cells and CDV antigen was detected immunocytochemically in 25. One dog had no inclusion bodies or syncytial cells and was immunohistochemically negative. Syncytial cells have been found to be of limited diagnostic value for the diagnosis of CDV encephalitis. While inclusion bodies proved to be a good diagnostic criterion for the confirmation of CDV infection, the immunohistochemical demonstration of CDV antigen proved to be superior. CDV antigen was more prevalent than inclusion bodies in tissue sections and much more easily detectable.