Corneal ulceration associated with naturally occurring canine herpesvirus-1 infection in two adult dogs

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 229; no. 3; pp. 376 - 384
• Main Authors: Ledbetter, E.C, Riis, R.C, Kern, T.J, Haley, N.J, Schatzberg, S.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.2006
• Subjects: adult animals; Animals; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Canid herpesvirus 1; case studies; cornea; corneal diseases; Corneal Ulcer - drug therapy; Corneal Ulcer - pathology; Corneal Ulcer - veterinary; Corneal Ulcer - virology; diagnostic techniques; disease course; disease detection; dog diseases; Dog Diseases - drug therapy; Dog Diseases - pathology; Dog Diseases - virology; Dogs; etiology; Female; genetic techniques and protocols; Herpesviridae Infections - complications; Herpesviridae Infections - drug therapy; Herpesviridae Infections - pathology; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Herpesvirus 1, Canid - isolation & purification; Idoxuridine - therapeutic use; immunologic techniques; lesions (animal); Male; signs and symptoms (animals and humans); Treatment Outcome; Trifluridine - therapeutic use; viral diseases of animals and humans; vision disorders
• ISSN: 0003-1488; 1943-569X
• DOI: 10.2460/javma.229.3.376

An 8-year-old Labrador Retriever with diabetes mellitus in which bilateral phacoemulsification had been performed 3 weeks earlier was evaluated for acute onset of blepharospasm, and a 7-year-old Miniature Schnauzer with chronic immune-mediated thrombocytopenia was reevaluated for keratoconjunctivitis sicca that had been diagnosed 4 weeks earlier. Dendritic corneal ulcerations were detected in both dogs. Canine herpesvirus-1 (CHV-1) was isolated from corneal swab specimens obtained during the initial evaluation of each dog and during recheck examinations performed until the ulcerations were healed. Canine herpesvirus-1 serum neutralization titers were detected in both dogs. Results of virus isolation from oropharyngeal and genital swab specimens were negative for both dogs. The isolated viruses were identified as CHV-1 via immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, PCR assay, and gene sequencing. Negative controls for PCR assay and virus isolation included conjunctival swab specimens from 50 dogs without extraocular disease and corneal swab specimens from 50 dogs with corneal ulcers, respectively. Lesions resolved in both dogs after topical administration of idoxuridine or trifluridine and discontinuation of topically administered immunosuppressive medications. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of corneal ulcerations associated with naturally occurring CHV-1 infection and may represent local ocular recrudescence of latent CHV-1 infection. The viruses isolated were identified as CHV-1, and the morphology, antigenicity, and genotype were similar to those for CHV-1 isolates obtained from a puppy that died from systemic CHV-1 infection.