Research on factors that influence the course of canine parvovirosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to demonstrate correlations of the course of canine parvovirus infection and the rate of cytopathic effect (CPE) on CPV-infected CCC clone 81 cell lines with the age of the affected animals, their history of CPV vaccination and the strain of the virus causing the infection. Forty-five dogs with parvovirus confirmed by rapid diagnostic tests and PCR were studied. Faecal samples from diseased animals were used to infect cell lines, which were then observed for a cytopathic effect. The statistical analysis of the results obtained demonstrated a positive correlation between the recovery rate of the diseased animals and the fact that they had been vaccinated against CPV. In dogs that had been vaccinated against CPV, the mean duration of the disease was 6 days, whereas in the group of unvaccinated dogs it was 7 days. The course of the disease also depended on the virus strain. It was shown that dogs from which the CPV-2a strain was isolated took longer to recover, had more severe clinical signs and higher mortality. The cytopathic effect appeared in all infected cultures, while the rate at which changes occurred was independent of the virus strain with which the cells were infected, the age of the dogs from which CPV was isolated and their CPV vaccination history. The study results obtained may serve as valuable prognostic guidelines as to the duration of and recovery from canine parvovirus infection.