Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus

Canine distemper (CD) is a deadly, multi-system infection caused by a Morbillivirus. The canine distemper virus (CDV) frequently affects the nervous system with demyelinating leukoencephalitis, the most common neurological lesion. The disease has been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans due...

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Main Authors: Mary Gutiérrez, Luis Delucchi, Alejandro Bielli, José Manuel Verdes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/11/1721
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author Mary Gutiérrez
Luis Delucchi
Alejandro Bielli
José Manuel Verdes
author_facet Mary Gutiérrez
Luis Delucchi
Alejandro Bielli
José Manuel Verdes
author_sort Mary Gutiérrez
collection DOAJ
description Canine distemper (CD) is a deadly, multi-system infection caused by a Morbillivirus. The canine distemper virus (CDV) frequently affects the nervous system with demyelinating leukoencephalitis, the most common neurological lesion. The disease has been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans due to similar clinical presentation and pathophysiological mechanisms. In MS, visual evoked potentials (VEPs) have been identified as a reliable marker for disease progression, enabling the early detection of clinically suspected lesions. The aim of this study was to determine if there are any abnormalities in VEP responses in dogs with neurological CD. Visual evoked potentials and electroretinogram (ERG) were recorded at both the cranial and spinal levels in dogs naturally infected with CDV and in healthy dogs. The results in the CDV-infected group revealed a bilateral increase in the latency of N1, P1, N2, P2, and N3 waves of the VEPs, without any alterations in their amplitudes. No significant differences were observed in the ERG between the groups. These results suggest that altered VEP responses could serve as an early diagnostic indicator of neurological damage caused by distemper. Therefore, conducting these studies could potentially aid in the detection of central nervous conduction disorders during the subclinical phases of the disease.
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spelling doaj-art-f6817782d63e46d3b3a43f6519fc8d2f2025-08-20T02:27:42ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152024-10-011611172110.3390/v16111721Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper VirusMary Gutiérrez0Luis Delucchi1Alejandro Bielli2José Manuel Verdes3Small Animals Medicine Unit, Department of Clinics & Veterinary Hospital, Clinical Neurology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de la República (Udelar), Route 8 Km 18, Montevideo 13000, UruguaySmall Animals Medicine Unit, Department of Clinics & Veterinary Hospital, Clinical Neurology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de la República (Udelar), Route 8 Km 18, Montevideo 13000, UruguayHistology & Embriology Unit, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Udelar, Montevideo 13000, UruguayPathology Unit, Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary, Udelar, Montevideo 13000, UruguayCanine distemper (CD) is a deadly, multi-system infection caused by a Morbillivirus. The canine distemper virus (CDV) frequently affects the nervous system with demyelinating leukoencephalitis, the most common neurological lesion. The disease has been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans due to similar clinical presentation and pathophysiological mechanisms. In MS, visual evoked potentials (VEPs) have been identified as a reliable marker for disease progression, enabling the early detection of clinically suspected lesions. The aim of this study was to determine if there are any abnormalities in VEP responses in dogs with neurological CD. Visual evoked potentials and electroretinogram (ERG) were recorded at both the cranial and spinal levels in dogs naturally infected with CDV and in healthy dogs. The results in the CDV-infected group revealed a bilateral increase in the latency of N1, P1, N2, P2, and N3 waves of the VEPs, without any alterations in their amplitudes. No significant differences were observed in the ERG between the groups. These results suggest that altered VEP responses could serve as an early diagnostic indicator of neurological damage caused by distemper. Therefore, conducting these studies could potentially aid in the detection of central nervous conduction disorders during the subclinical phases of the disease.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/11/1721canine distemper virusdogselectrophysiologyincreased latencyveterinary neurologyvisual evoked potentials
spellingShingle Mary Gutiérrez
Luis Delucchi
Alejandro Bielli
José Manuel Verdes
Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus
Viruses
canine distemper virus
dogs
electrophysiology
increased latency
veterinary neurology
visual evoked potentials
title Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus
title_full Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus
title_fullStr Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus
title_full_unstemmed Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus
title_short Prolonged Visual Evoked Potential Latencies in Dogs Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus
title_sort prolonged visual evoked potential latencies in dogs naturally infected with canine distemper virus
topic canine distemper virus
dogs
electrophysiology
increased latency
veterinary neurology
visual evoked potentials
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/11/1721
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AT luisdelucchi prolongedvisualevokedpotentiallatenciesindogsnaturallyinfectedwithcaninedistempervirus
AT alejandrobielli prolongedvisualevokedpotentiallatenciesindogsnaturallyinfectedwithcaninedistempervirus
AT josemanuelverdes prolongedvisualevokedpotentiallatenciesindogsnaturallyinfectedwithcaninedistempervirus