Antigenic analysis of genetic variants of Canine distemper virus

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology Vol. 219; pp. 154 - 160
• Main Authors: Anis, Eman, Holford, Amy L., Galyon, Gina D., Wilkes, Rebecca P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Animal diseases; Antigenicity; Antigens; Canine distemper; Canine distemper virus; Carnivores; Cross-neutralization assay; Dogs; Epitopes; Genetic analysis; Genetic diversity; Genetic variance; Genetics; Neutralization; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA viruses; Strains (organisms); Terrestrial environments; Vaccines; Viral infections; Virus inactivation; Viruses; United States > US; Antigenicity; Canine distemper virus; Virus inactivation; Cross-neutralization assay
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.03.014

•There are differences in serum neutralization titers among tested Canine distemper viruses.•There are antigenic differences between America-1 vaccine strains and wild-type strains.•Current vaccines may provide incomplete protection against wild-type strains. Canine distemper virus (CDV) is an RNA virus of the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae. CDV produces multi-systemic disease in dogs and other terrestrial carnivores. With the development of modified live vaccines in the 1950s and 1960s, the disease, with a few exceptions, has been successfully controlled. However, recently the cases of CDV in vaccinated dogs have been increasing throughout the world, including the United States. There are many reasons that can lead to vaccine failure, including antigenic differences between the vaccine strains and the currently circulating wild-type strains. Currently, there are at least three genetically different CDV lineages circulating in the US. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated various wild-type CDV and vaccine isolates to determine if the genetic differences observed among various strains result in significant antigenic differences based on changes to the neutralizing epitopes. The results of a cross-neutralization assay revealed that there are antigenic differences among the tested CDV wild-type isolates as well as between the tested isolates and the vaccine strains currently used in the US. Therefore, these results suggest the need to develop an updated CDV vaccine.