Senior Scientist, Director CAVIDS Titer Testing laboratory, UW Madison School Vet Med Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Abstract: Background Canine parvovirus (CPV) remains a leading cause of death in young dogs.
Objective Determine whether intravenous administration of Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody (CPMA) can prevent mortality after experimental CPV-infection.
Animals CPV seronegative 8-week-old beagles were randomized into groups: (1) Controls (saline; n=7) and (2) CPMA (n=21).
Methods Susceptible dogs were intranasally challenged with CPV-2b (Day 0). One dose of CPMA or saline was administered intravenously after dogs tested SNAP - positive feces (IDEXX). Dogs were monitored for 14 days for clinical signs, seroconversion and viral shed. Staff were masked to group identity. Moribund dogs were euthanized (per IACUC) and no other supportive care was administered during the study.
Results All dogs met CPV disease criteria and were treated on Day 4. By Day 5, CPMA treated group rapidly reached high anti-CPV titers (µ HI=3078) while controls remained seronegative. Controls developed severe disease: fever >103.4oF (71%), bloody diarrhea (100%), lymphopenia (100%), viral shed (100%), and mortality (57%). Resolution of clinical signs was significantly faster for vomiting (p=0.0478), lethargy (p=0.0185), and inappetence (p=0.0478) in CPMA treated dogs compared to controls. The CPMA-group had fewer severe signs overall including reduced diarrhea (Figure 1), fever (p< 0.0001), and lymphopenia (p=0.0619). No CPMA treated dogs died due to challenge. The prevented fraction for mortality in CPMA treated dogs compared to controls was estimated at 1.00 (95% Confidence Interval 0.73, 1.00).
Conclusions & Clinical Importance Intravenous treatment with CPMA statistically significantly decreased the duration of clinical disease and prevented mortality associated with canine parvovirus infection.
