dog and cat assay data sheet

Canine circovirus (CaCV)

Test code: S0234 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of canine circovirus by real time polymerase chain reaction

S0234 is included on P0022 - canine diarrhea panel

There are 11 known species of circoviruses and they affect many bird and mammal species. Canine circovirus (CaCV or DogCV) is a member of Circoviridae family, genus Circovirus and was first isolated in 2012. It is a small non-enveloped virus with a ~2 kb length single-stranded DNA viral genome. Canine circovirus infects domestic dogs and wild canids exclusively.

Dogs infected with this virus may develop hemorrhagic enteritis that results in sudden onset of weakened appetite, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. Internally, infected dogs may develop inflammation of the blood vessels and lymph node necrosis. The virus can disseminate into various organs including intestines, spleen, lungs, brain, liver, and lymph nodes.

Infected dogs have a high frequency of co-infection with other viruses, such as canine distemper and canine parvovirus; thus, clinical presentation when co-infection occurs may confuse the correct diagnosis.

The mode of transmission of this virus is still unknown. Direct contact with an infected dog, its vomit or feces, is believed to increase the risk of infection. The use of shared bedding and equipment, or human contact with an infected animal prior to handling of an uninfected animal, may also cause transmission of the virus between dogs.

Diagnosis of the viral infection usually relies on molecular detection by PCR, which gives high sensitivity and specificity.

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Help ensure that animal groups and populations are free of CaCV
• Early prevention of spread of this virus among a population
• Minimize human exposure to this virus
• Safety monitoring of biological products and vaccines that derive from susceptible animals

References:
Niu, L., Wang, Z., Zhao, L., Wang, Y., Cui, X., Shi, Y., Chen, H. and Ge, J. (2020) Detection and molecular characterization of canine circovirus circulating in northeastern China during 2014-2016. Arch. Virol. 2020 165:137-143.

Specimen requirement: 0.2 ml feces, or fecal swab, or 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml fresh or frozen tissue, or 0.2 ml culture.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected