CANINE PARVOVIRUS

2
SANDRINE WOOLCOCK
GROUP 1
#15900
 INTRODUCTION
‘Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) was first identified in the late 1970s; it causes
intestinal haemorrhage with severe bloody diarrhoea in kennels and dog shelters
worldwide.’(1) ‘Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious viral disease of dogs that
commonly causes acute gastrointestinal illness in puppies. The disease most often strikes
in pups between six and 20 weeks old, but older animals are sometimes also affected.’(2)
‘We now know the virus is not limited to dogs, but is capable of causing infections in wild
canines such as coyotes and wolves, and other wild animals, including foxes, raccoons and
skunks.’(2)
•
 MECHANISM

‘Once a dog or puppy is infected, there is an incubation period of three to seven days before
the onset of first symptoms. Inside the dog, CPV needs the help of rapidly dividing cells in order to
successfully cause disease, and the virus usually begins by attacking the tonsils or lymph nodes of
the throat. Once inside the lymph nodes, the virus typically invades lymphocytes (a type of white
blood cell) for one or two days, creating many copies of itself. These viruses hitch a ride inside the
lymphocytes, where they are sheltered from the host defences, and enter the bloodstream. Once in
the bloodstream, the virus again targets rapidly dividing cells, hitting hardest in the bone marrow
and in the cells that line the walls of the small intestine.’(2)
 PATHOGENICITY

•  lymphopenia- reduction in the number of lymphocytes.

• Enteritis- ‘The virus causes this destruction by targeting the epithelium of the small intestine, the lining that
helps to absorb nutrients and provides a crucial barrier against fluid loss and bacterial invasion from the
gut into the body. The cells that make up the epithelial surface are short-lived and are replaced
continually by new cells born in the rapidly-dividing areas known as the crypts of Lieberkühn. The virus
invades these crypts where new epithelial cells are born and disables the body’s ability to replenish the
intestinal surface.’(2)
• Myocarditis- a syndrome that results from infection in the first week of life is usually manifest as acute
heart failure and sudden death in pups, often without preceding clinical signs.
• Anorexia- lack or loss of appetite for food (as a medical condition).
•
•
 DIAGNOSIS

-most common and most convenient method of testing for the presence of
CPV. White Blood Cell Count.
Faecal ELISA Test
-a low white blood cell count can be suggestive of CPV -generally requires more time than a CPV
infection. PCR
faecal ELISA.
- a positive ELISA reading and a low white blood cell count,
a fairly confident diagnosis of CPV may be made. - very accurate (more so than CPV faecal
ELISA)
 TREATMENT

• ‘Treatment for PVE is largely supportive and symptomatic. The principal components of
treatment include:
• 1) fluid therapy
• 2) antibiotic treatment
• 3) antiemetic treatment
• 4) nutritional support.’(5)
 PREVENTION

1. Effective immunization

2. Isolating any dog that is infected with

CPV from other dogs.

3. ‘Cleaning with a solution of one part

bleach mixed with approximately 30
parts water is an acceptable method
for disinfecting any indoor area that
once housed an infected dog’(5)
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

ARTICLES
1. Molecular epidemiology of canine parvovirus type 2 in Vietnam from November 2016 to February 2018 by Minh Hoang.

5. Canine parvoviral enteritis: an update on the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention by

Mathios E Mylonakis.

WEBSITES

2. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/

3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/

4. http://thevetscare.com/

6.https://www.youtube.com/