Detection of IgM antibodies against a recombinant nucleocapsid protein of canine distemper virus in dog sera using a dot-blot assay.

摘要

A dot-blot assay for the detection of IgM antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV) in canine serum is described. The diagnostic potential of this technique was evaluated by analysing sera from 12 specific pathogen-free (SPF) dogs experimentally infected with virulent CDV, 4 SPF dogs immunized with a combined vaccine containing CDV, and 4 SPF dogs immunized with a CDV-free vaccine. The recombinant nucleocapsid protein of the virulent A75/17 CDV strain was used as antigen for the dot-blot assay. All 12 dogs infected with virulent CDV showed detectable CDV-specific IgM levels in their serum. All 4 CDV-immunized dogs were also positive for anti-CDV IgM after the first immunization with the CDV-containing vaccine. The 4 dogs immunized with a CDV-free vaccine remained negative throughout the course of the experiment. It is concluded that the IgM detection test, which requires only a single serum sample, is a useful method for diagnosing current or recent CDV infection in CDV-infected or CDV-immunized dogs under experimental conditions.