Neuron-specific enolase as biomarker for possible neuronal damage in dogs with distemper vírus

Abstract

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a biomarker of neuronal cell lysis, which demonstrates stability in extracellular fluids such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid. To the authors knowledge there is no research information comparing the use of NSE in dogs with and without encephalitis, putting in evidence the importance of that biomarker to detect neuronal damage in dogs. The objective was to compare the serum NSE levels in dogs with and without encephalitis, and to determine the serum NSE levels in normal dogs. Thirty eight dogs were evaluated, 19 dogs with encephalitis (EG Group) and 19 dogs without encephalitis (CG Group). The criteria for inclusion in the EG Group were presence of neurological signs in more than one part of the CNS (multifocal syndrome) and positive molecular diagnosis for canine distemper virus; for the CG Group were an age between 1 to 7 years and be clinically normal; NSE were measured in serum using an ELISA assay, and the results were compared. In the EG Group the NSE values were higher with significant difference (P=0.0053) when compared with the CG Group. NSE is a biomarker that can be measured in serum samples of dogs to monitor neuronal lesions in encephalitis.

Effect of maternally derived antibodies on two commercial vaccines in changes of serum antibody titres against distemper in puppies

“…Although puppies with the age of 3 weeks to 6 months are among the most significant victims of this virus, it should be noted that it can infect dogs of all ages (Nova et al., 2018 ) and it can cause more clinical signs such as diarrhoea, vomiting, anorexia and hyperkeratosis of the nose and footpads (Sheldon et al., 2017 ). In old dogs, mainly neurological symptoms such as seizures and necrotic encephalitis have been seen (Elias et al., 2019 ).…”