Immunohistochemical diagnostic characteristics of parvovirus infection in dogs

Abstract

Thе current study goal was to compare the results from the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in dogs that have previously been clinically diagnosed with parvovirus infection. The Canine parvovirus enteritis (PVE) is a highly contagious disease mostly affecting dogs below six months of age. The canine parvovirus (CPV) belongs to the parvoviridae family within the feline parvovirus sub group of the genus Parvovirus. This investigation was performed on twenty dogs 2 to 12 months old with previous clinical diagnosis for PVE, and it included necropsy, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. The necropsy findings included severe hemorrhagic enteritis and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes as most frequent and prominent changes. The histopathological changes were also most significant in these organs in the form of villus atrophy and lymphoid depletion, respectively. These areas revealed the highest expression of CPV antigen. The histopathological and immunohistochemical methods provide strong base for a reliable CPV diagnosis.

Keywords

• diagnosis
• necropsy
• histopathology
• immunohistochemistry
• canine parvovirus