A fatal outbreak of parvovirus infection: First detection of canine parvovirus type 2c in Israel with secondary Escherichia coli septicemia and meningoencephalitis

R. Nivy, S. Hahn, S. Perl, A. Karnieli, O. Karnieli, I. Aroch*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

A 10-week old female Italian Cane Corso puppy was presented with a history of mucoid diarrhea and vomiting, and a presumptive diagnosis of parvoviral infection. The dog presented with severe leukopenia and was hospitalized and treated intensively with intravenous fluids, electrolytes, glucose, antibiotics, human albumin and antiemetics. Clinical and hematological improvement was noted, and the white blood cell count normalized. However, on the fifth day, neurological signs and intractable hypoglycemia had occurred and the dog was euthanized. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and necropsy revealed bacterial meningoencephalitis due to a multi-resistant Escherichia coli strain. This same E. coli was isolated also from the lungs, liver and spleen, and likely spread systemically due to septicemia. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of blood identified the presence of DNA of the recently discovered canine parvovirus strain 2c (CPV-2c). Five of the puppy's six siblings exhibited clinical signs suggestive of parvovirus enteritis and died, despite conventional supportive treatment and hospitalization. Moreover, two littermates presented neurological abnormalities as well. The litter was vaccinated at the age of six weeks, and again two days prior to the appearance of clinical signs. Immunization failure due to interference by maternal antibodies was suspected to have occurred. Furthermore, the efficacy of maternally derived antibodies from bitches vaccinated with other CPV-2 strains to protect against the new strains is debatable, and might have put the puppies at risk of infection with CPV-2c. This is the first record of CPV-2c strain infection in dogs in Israel, as well as the first documentation of E. coli meningoencephalitis in a CPV-infected dog.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)96-102
Number of pages7
JournalIsrael Journal of Veterinary Medicine
Volume66
Issue number3
StatePublished - Sep 2011

Keywords

  • CPV-2c
  • Cerebrospinal fluid
  • Dog
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Infection
  • Polymerase chain reaction

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