SEROLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANINE-DISTEMPER VIRUS-INFECTION USING ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY

For detection of antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV), an e nzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using a crude e xtract from cells infected with the Onderstepoort strain of CDV as ant igen. Twenty-six sera from dogs experimentally vaccinated with the Sny der-Hill strain of CDV were compared by ELISA and a standard virus neu tralization (NV) test. Since a good correlation between the titers obt ained by both tests was observed, ELISA was considered to be a rapid a nd reliable method for a serological survey of CDV infection. When a t otal of 167 sera from dogs suspected of canine distemper under natural conditions were examined by the ELISA, 29 of the sera (17%) were foun d to have low VN antibody titers and high ELISA titers. The reason for the discrepancy in the titers was discussed.