Trends of Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 and Canine morbillivirus infection in domestic dogs in South Africa

Abstract

The study aimed to try and identify trends in both Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 and Canine morbillivirus in South Africa to better equip veterinarians to respond to the overwhelming caseload we experience in this country. Infection with Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 often causes fatal haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in young puppies. The condition is exacerbated in dogs with poor immune status and insufficient supportive therapy. With supportive care, of which the most important intervention is fluid therapy, puppies can make a full recovery with no long-term side effects. Canine distemper, caused by Canine morbillivirus is a disease that affects multiple organ systems of puppies. This disease can also affect adults who do not have pre-existing immunity. It may cause characteristic neurological signs and may have a high mortality rate. Even with supportive therapy, the disease is often fatal. If the puppies are fortunate enough to survive, they are often left with long-term neurological deficits. The two diseases are common problems encountered in a rural setting. Five years’ worth of data collected from compulsory community service veterinarians working throughout South Africa were used to identify spatial and temporal patterns of these two diseases on a national scale. On a local scale, dogs that presented at Mdzananda Clinic based in Khayelitsha, a township in the Western Cape were used to determine the proportion of canine distemper and parvovirus cases encountered from July to December 2021 of the total animals seen. The data showed a seasonal trend in Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 infection with higher caseloads experienced in the summer months whereas Canine morbillivirus infections did not show any significant trend, but some provinces experienced higher caseloads than others. The data from the Mdzananda clinic followed the same trend in Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 cases seen at a national and provincial level. A trend can be seen with Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 that may be the result of environmental factors such as precipitation and temperature and animal factors such as seasonal births, however, no such trends were seen with Canine morbillivirus