A. Gengay1, T. Oncel2,T. Karaiglu3, A.A. Sancak4. A.B. Demir3, A. Ozkul3
In this study, serum samples were collected from 609 clinically healthy stray dogs in the Ankara, Mugla and Istanbul provinces in Turkey between 2000 and 2002.
Dog sera were tested for the presence of canine distemper virus (CDV) neutralizing antibodies using Virus Neutralization assay (VNA) (1, 2).
The prevalence of antibodies in animals against CDV was found to be 9.03% (n=55) in 1/2 dilution. It was determined that the antibody titers of positive sera were ranged between 1/2 and1/32.
This result suggested that the stray dogs are potential source of CDV infections for susceptible animals living in an urban environment in Turkey.
References
1. Appel M. J. G., Robson D.S. A microneutralization test for canine distemper virus. Am. J. Vet. Res., 1973, 34, 1459-1463.
2. FrÖLich, K. et. al Epizootiological investigations of canine distemper virus in free-ranging carnivores from Germany. Vet. Microbiol., 2000, 74, 283-292.