EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION OF CONVENTIONAL DOGS WITH CANINE PARVOVIRUS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (4) , 693-696
Abstract
Four 6 wk old conventional pups were inoculated with a parvovirus (PV) isolated from the feces of a dog with naturally occurring enteritis. Blood for hematologic studies, virus isolation (VI) and antibody titration and feces for VI and negative-contrast EM were collected on day 0 and daily until necropsy. Beginning at postinoculation day 2, necropsies were done and specimens were collected for immunofluorescence, VI and light microscopic examination. The PV infection was confirmed by VI, immunofluorescence, EM and seroconversion. Clinical illness was not observed in inoculated pups although mild intestinal lesions similar to those of naturally occurring PV enteritis were found. The failure to elicit severe disease in conventional pups indicates that .gtoreq. 1 factors, such as intercurrent enteric or systemic infections, immune status, age, nutrition, virulence of virus, dose of infectious virus and route of inoculation influence the clinical and pathologic manifestations of PV infection.