An immunochromatography assay for rapid antemortem diagnosis of dogs suspected to have canine distemper

A new assay was developed for rapid and antemortem diagnosis of canine distemper (CD). This immunochromatography (IC)-based assay, which employs two monoclonal anti-CDV antibodies, was compared with nested PCR. When serial dilutions of purified CDV were tested, the CDV detection limits of the nested PCR and IC assays were 2 × 102 TCID50/ml and 5 × 102 TCID50/ml, respectively. Nasal irrigation fluid, conjunctival swabs, and blood lymphocytes from 66 dogs suspected to have CD were tested. Preliminary IC experiments revealed that the optimal sample volume and reaction time were 100 μl and 5 min, respectively. Relative to nested PCR, the sensitivity and specificity of the IC assay was maximal (100% and 100%, respectively) when conjunctival swabs were tested. This is significant because conjunctival swab specimens are easy to obtain in the early phase of CD infection. However, with blood lymphocytes and nasal samples, the IC assay was slightly less sensitive (89.7% and 85.7%, respectively) and specific (94.6% and 100%, respectively) than nested PCR. Since this novel IC assay does not require special instruments, it is a simple enough for dog owners to use. Since early detection of CD would allow appropriate treatment and quarantine to be instituted quickly, such a test would help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with CD help to prevent its spread to other animals.