engleski

Aetiology of viral gastroenteritis in dogs - prevalence and risk factors

Viral gastroenteritis is a common disease in dogs. Causative agents of canine viral gastroenteritis include canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine coronavirus (CCoV), canine adenovirus (CAV) and canine bocavirus (CBoV). A total of 97 dog rectal swabs, admitted for molecular diagnostics at the Virology Unit of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the University of Zagreb, from January 2017 to August 2021. These samples were tested for the presence of five viral pathogens (CPV-2, CDV, CCoV, CAV and CBoV) by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For statistical analysis, available signalment and medical history data were used. Data were analysed using the two-tailed Chi-square test or Fishers' exact test, and p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Out of 97 samples screened, 48 samples were found positive for at least one of the viral pathogens. Prevalence of CPV-2, CCoV, CBoV and CDV were 26.80%, 17.53%, 15.12% and 3.09%, respectively. None of the submitted samples was positive for CAV. Co-infections were found in 13 samples. Five rectal swabs were positive for CPV-2 and CCoV, five for CPV-2 and CBoV, two for CPV-2 and CDV and one for CCoV and CBoV. There were no specific clinical signs that could be used to distinguish between causative viral pathogens. Dogs younger than two years were more likely to be positive to CPV-2 (p=0.027), as well as dogs younger than one year to CCoV (p=0.007). In this study, the presence of four viral pathogens that cause canine gastroenteritis was confirmed. Due to nonspecific clinical signs caused by these viruses, objective diagnosis is needed. High exposure to the virus and developed immunity seems to be the most probable explanation for a sharp decrease of CCoV prevalence in dogs over one year. A higher incidence of CPV-2 in dogs younger than two years is probably a consequence of inadequate initial puppy vaccination and the absence of booster dose.

viral gastroenteritis ; dog ; canine parvovirus type 2 ; canine distemper virus ; canine coronavirus ; canine adenovirus ; canine bocavirus

nije evidentirano