Detection of Canine Herpesvirus Infection on Dogs

Canine herpesvirus (CHV) seems to be present worldwide in both domestic and wild dogs. Serologic surveys have shown a relatively high prevalence of CHV in household and colony-bred dogs. Blood samples were collected from dogs in dog shelters or dog collection centres in Konya and Antalya that showed clinical signs of the disease. In total, 141 blood samples were examined for antibodies to CHV by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas the blood leukocyte samples obtained from the dogs were assessed by immunoflouresence test (IFT) for isolation of CHV. Madin-Darby canine kidney cells were used for virus isolation. Ninety-seven samples (68.8%) were detected as seropositive; while no positive results were identified using IFT. In conclusion, the high seropositivity may indicate that CHV infection is common in dog shelters or dog collection centres in Turkey and infected animals with CHV need to be identified and quarantined.