Investigation of some biochemical parameters, hematological changes, neopterin and procalcitonin levels in dogs with Canine distemper virus

PDF
Published: Jul 5, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/jhvms.37942
Keywords:
Dog Neopterin Procalcitonin Distemper
YU Batı
Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kars, Turkey
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7528-4376
AH Kırmızıgül
Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kars, Turkey
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6660-2149
Abstract

This study was conducted to determine serum neopterin and procalcitonin levels in dogs with distemper. The animal material of the study consisted of 35 patients diagnosed with distemper and 15 healthy dogs of different breeds and genders between the ages of 1.5-6 months. Blood cell counts like white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes (LYM), granulocytes (Gra), red blood cells (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), thrombocytes (THR), gra%, and hemoglobin (Hb) showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.001).Similarly, when the monocyte values of the sick animals were compared with the monocyte values of the animals in the control group, the difference (P<0.01) was seen to be significant. The biochemical parameters urea, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and amylase (AMY) levels of sick animals were compared to those of healthy animals. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) between the two groups.Again, serum GGT and glucose levels of sick animals showed significant differences compared to the same values of healthy animals (P<0.01). While the serum neopterin concentration of the sick animals was 4.94 ± 0.31 nmol/L, the value of the dogs in the control group was determined as 3.02 ± 0.33 nmol/L. When these two values were compared statistically, the difference (P<0.001) was determined to be significant. Similarly, the serum procalcitonin concentration of the sick animals was determined as 65.11 ± 3.12 ng/L, while the serum procalcitonin level of the dogs in the control group was found to be 44.05 ± 3.20 ng/L. When serum procalcitonin values in both groups were compared statistically, the difference (p<0.001) was determined to be significant. As a result, since distemper disease is a multisystemic disease, changes in serum biochemical and hematological parameters were observed separately. In addition, serum neopterin and procalcitonin changes in dogs with distemper were determined to be significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.001). With these results, it was concluded that serum neopterin and procalcitonin biomarkers may play an important diagnostic role in distemper disease, and these parameters were determined for the first time in distemper disease.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Research Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

· Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

· Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

· Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Aiello, S.E., Moses, M.A., Allen, D.G., 2016. The Merck Veterinary
Manual. 7th edition, Merck & Co. Inc.
Akyüz, E., Gökce, G., 2021. Neopterin, procalcitonin, clinical biochemistry,
and hematology in calves with neonatal sepsis. Tropical
Animal Health and Production 53(3), 354.
Akyüz, E., Merhan, O., Aydın, U., Sezer, M., Kuru, M., Karakurt, E.,
Yıldız, U., Bozukluhan, K., Batı, Y.U., Yıldız, A., 2022. Neopterin,
procalcitonin, total sialic acid, paraoxonase-1 and selected
haematological indices in calves with aspiration pneumonia. Acta
Veterinaria Brno, 91(2), 115–124.
Amude, A.M., Alfieri, A.A., Alfieri, A.F., 2007. Clinicopathological
findings in dogs with distemper encephalomyelitis presented without
characteristic signs of the disease. Research in Veterinary Science,
(3), 416–422.
Appel, M., Summers, B., 1999. Canine distemper: Current status, recent
advances in canine infectious diseases. In recent advances in canine infectious diseases, International Veterinary Information
Service, 68–72.
Appel, M.J., Summers, B.A., 1995. Pathogenicity of morbilliviruses for
terrestrial carnivores. Veterinary Microbiology, 44(2–4), 187–191.
Axthelm, M.K., Krakowka, S., 1987. Canine distemper virus: The early
blood-brain barrier lesion. Acta Neuropathologica, 75(1), 27–33.
Barrett, T., 1999. Morbillivirus infections, with special emphasis on morbilliviruses
of carnivores. Veterinary Microbiology, 69(1–2), 3–13.
Basbug, O., Aydogdu, U., Agaoglu, Z.T., 2020. Neopterin and soluble
urokinase type plasminogen activator receptor as biomarkers in
dogs with systemic ınflammatory response syndrome. Journal of
the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society, 71(1), 1945-1952.
Batı, Y.U., 2023. Sarcoptes canis’ le doğal enfeste köpeklerde serum
neopterin ve prokalsitonin seviyeleri. Veterinary Sciences and Practices,
(1), 31–34.
Beineke, A., Puff, C., Seehusen, F., Baumgärtner, W., 2009. Pathogenesis
and immunopathology of systemic and nervous canine distemper.
Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 127(1-2), 1-18.
Berdowska, A., Zwirska-Korczala, K., 2001. Neopterin measurement in
clinical diagnosis. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics,
(5), 319–329.
Brkljacic, M., Torti, M., Pleadin, J., Mrljak, V., Iva, S., Kis, I., Mayer,
I., Crnogaj, M., Matijatko, V., 2014. The concentrations of the
inflammatory markers the amino-terminal portion of C-type pronatriuretic
peptide and procalcitonin in canine babesiosis caused
by Babesia canis. Veterinary Archives, 84(6), 575–589.
Brown, M.R., Rogers, K.S., 2001. Neutropenia in dogs and cats: A
retrospective study of 261 cases. Journal of the American Animal
Hospital Association, 37(2), 131–139.
Buragohain, M., Goswani, S., Kalita, D., 2017. Clinicopathological
findings of canine distemper virus infection in dogs. Journal of
Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5(6), 1817-1819.
Castro, T.X., Cubel Garcia Rde, C., Gonçalves, L.P., Costa, E.M., Marcello,
G.C., Labarthe, N.V., Mendes-de-Almeida, F. 2013. Clinical,
hematological, and biochemical findings in puppies with coronavirus
and parvovirus enteritis. The Canadian Veterinary Journal,
(9), 885-888.
Cesur, S., Aslan, T., Hoca, N.T., Çimen, F., Tarhan, G., Çifçi, A., Ceyhan,
İ., Şipit, T., 2014. Clinical importance of serum neopterin level
in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. International Journal of
Mycobacteriology, 3(1), 5–8.
Christ-Crain, M., Müller, B., 2007. Biomarkers in respiratory tract infections:
Diagnostic guides to antibiotic prescription, prognostic
markers and mediators. The European Respiratory Journal, 30(3),
–573.
De Loor, J., Daminet, S., Smets, P., Maddens, B., Meyer, E., 2013.
Urinary biomarkers for acute kidney injury in dogs. Journal of
Veterinary Internal Medicine, 27(5), 998–1010.
Dear, J.D., 2020. Bacterial pneumonia in dogs and cats. The Veterinary
Clinics of North America Small Animal Practice, 50(2), 447–465.
Deem, S.L., Spelman, L.H., Yates, R.A., Montali, R.J., 2000. Canine
distemper in terrestrial carnivores: A review. Journal of Zoo and
Wildlife Medicine: Official Publication of the American Association
of Zoo Veterinarians, 31(4), 441–451.
Ertuğrul, İ., Yolcu, Ö. F., Cesur, S., Dağlı, Ü., vd., 2007. İnflamatuvar
barsak hastalıkları aktivitesi ile serum neopterin düzeyi arasındaki
ilişki. Akademik Gastroenteroloji Dergisi, 6(2), 56-61.
Ettinger, S.J., Feldman, E.C., 2010. Textbook of Veterinary Internal
Medicine, Elsevier Health Sciences.
Ezeibe, M.C.O., Udegbunam, R.I., 2008. Haematology of dogs infected
with canine distemper virus. Sokoto Journal of Veterinary
Sciences, 7(2), 31-33.
Frisk, A.L., König, M., Moritz, A., Baumgärtner, W., 1999. Detection
of canine distemper virus nucleoprotein rna by reverse transcription-
pcr using serum, whole blood, and cerebrospinal fluid from
dogs with distemper. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 37(11),
–3643.
Greene, C.E., Vandevelde, M., 2012. Canine Distemper. In: Greene,
C.E. (Ed) Greene’s Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat, 4th
edition, Elsevier, 25–42.
Gulersoy, E., Kapar, M., Durgut, M., Naseri, A., Ok, M., 2022. Evaluation
of clinical, hematochemical and cerebrospinal fluid analysis
findings in dogs naturally affected by the neurological form of
canine distemper. Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja, 144(1), 13–29.
Jensen, T.H., Nielsen, L., Aasted, B., Blixenkrone-Møller, M., 2009.
Early life DNA vaccination with the H gene of canine distemper
virus induces robust protection against distemper. Vaccine, 27(38),
–5183.
Kozłowska-Murawska, J., Obuchowicz, A.K., 2008. Clinical usefulness
of neopterin. Wiadomosci Lekarskie, 61(10–12), 269–272.
Köse, S.İ., Maden, M., 2013. Biyomarkerlar ve klinik kullanımları.
Dicle Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, 2(1), 30-37.
Kutzler, M.A., 2015. Immunoassays for veterinary diagnostic applications.
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice,
(2), 361-381.
Lan, N.T., Yamaguchi, R., Furuya, Y., Inomata, A., Ngamkala, S., Naganobu,
K., Kai, K., Mochizuki, M., Kobayashi, Y., Uchida, K.,
Tateyama, S., 2005. Pathogenesis and phylogenetic analyses of
canine distemper virus strain 007Lm, a new isolate in dogs. Veterinary
Microbiology, 110(3–4), 197–207.
Leblhuber, F., Walli, J., Demel, U., Tilz, G. P., Widner, B., Fuchs, D.,
Increased serum neopterin concentrations in patients with
Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine,
(4), 429–431. https://doi.org/10.1515/CCLM.1999.070.
Maclachlan, N.J., Dubovi, E.J., 2010. Fenner’s Veterinary Virology,
th edition, Academic Press.
Maruna, P., Nedelníková, K., Gürlich, R., 2000. Physiology and genetics
of procalcitonin. Physiological Research, 49(1), 57-61.
Matur, E., Dokuzeylül, B., Ozcan, M., Cetinkaya, H., Arslan, M., Or,
M.E., Erhan, S., Çötelioğlu, Ü., 2021. Can procalcitonin be used as
a clinical biomarker during bacterial, viral and parasitic infections
in dogs? The Japanese Journal of Veterinary Research, 69(1), 5–17.
Maxie, M.G., 2015. Jubb, Kennedy, and Palmer’s Pathology of Domestic
Animals, 6th edition, Elsevier.
Meindertsma, P.J., Tvedten, H., 2019. Small Animal Clinical Diagnosis
by Laboratory Methods, Elsevier, pp. 132-133.
Miao, S., Shen, P., Zhang, Q., Wang, H., Shen, J., Wang, G., Lv, D.,
Neopterin and mini-mental state examination scores, two
independent risk factors for postoperative delirium in elderly patients
with open abdominal surgery. Journal of Cancer Research
and Therapeutics, 14(6), 1234–1238.
Mrljak, V., Kucer, N., Kusec, V., Baric Rafaj, R., Matijatko, V., Susic,
V., Kis, I., Potocnjak, D., Lemo, N., 2004. Neopterin values in dogs
with babesiosis. XI Congress of the International Society of Animal
Clinical Biochemistry, 94.
Murr, C., Widner, B., Wirleitner, B., Fuchs, D., 2002. Neopterin as a
marker for immune system activation. Current Drug Metabolism,
(2), 175–187. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389200024605082.
Okada, H., Kobune, F., Sato, T.A., Kohama, T., Takeuchi, Y., Abe, T.,
Takayama, N., Tsuchiya, T., Tashiro, M., 2000. Extensive lymphopenia
due to apoptosis of uninfected lymphocytes in acute measles
patients. Archives of Virology, 145(5), 905–920.
Pardo, I.D.R., Johnson, G.C., Kleiboeker, S. B., 2005. Phylogenetic
characterization of canine distemper viruses detected in naturally
infected dogs in North America. Journal of Clinical Microbiology,
(10), 5009–5017.
Prittie, J., 2004. Canine parvoviral enteritis: A review of diagnosis,
management, and prevention. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and
Critical Care, 14(3), 167–176.
Rima, B.K., Duprex, W.P., 2006. Morbilliviruses and human disease.
The Journal of Pathology, 208(2), 199–214.
Ruokonen, E., Ilkka, L., Niskanen, M., Takala, J., 2002. Procalcitonin
and neopterin as indicators of infection in critically ill patients.
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 46(4), 398–404.
Saaed, M.M., Al-Obaidi, Q.T., 2021. Clinical, Hematological and some
biochemical changes in dogs infected with canine distemper, 14(5),
–33.
Sambrook, J., Russell, D.W., 2006. Purification of nucleic acids by
extraction with phenol:chloroform. CSH Protocols, 2006(1), pdb.
prot4455.
Schroecksnadel, K., Winkler, C., Fuchs, D., 2006. Method for urinary
neopterin measurements by HPLC. Journal of Biochemical and
Biophysical Methods, 66(1-3), 99-100.
Sherding, R., 1994. Canine Distemper. In: Saunders Manual of Small
Animal Practice, WB Sauders Company, 107–109.
Soedarsono, S., Dolli, P., 2019. Comparison of serum neopterin levels
in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with positive acid fast bacilli
and inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis
and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, 18, 100138. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.jctube.2019.100138.
Sykes, J.E., 2014. Canine Distemper Virus Infection. In: Canine and
Feline Infectious Diseases 1st edition, Elsevier/Saunders, 152–165.
Şimşek, K., 2019. Canine visceral leishmanisis`in farklı evrelerinde
hücresel bağışıklık sisteminin aktivasyonuna ilişkin serum neopterin
düzeylerinin araştırılması. Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Sağlık
Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Master Thesis, Aydin.
Troia, R., Giunti, M., Calipa, S., Goggs, R., 2018. Cell-free DNA,
high-mobility group box-1, and procalcitonin concentrations in dogs
with gastric dilatation–volvulus syndrome. Frontiers in Veterinary
Science, 9(5), 67.
Turgut, K., 2000. Veteriner Klinik Laboratuvar Teşhis. Genişletilmiş 2.
Baskı, Bahçıvanlar Basım ve Sanayi A.Ş, Konya.
Ünüvar, S., Aslanhan, H., 2019. Clinical significance of ıncreased serum
neopterin in chronic kidney failure as a biomarker of cell-mediated
immunity. Journal of Medical Biochemistry, 38(1), 1–5.
Wacker, C., Prkno, A., Brunkhorst, F.M., Schlattmann, P., 2013. Procalcitonin
as a diagnostic marker for sepsis: A systematic review
and meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 13(5), 426–435.
Weiss, D.W., Feldman, B.F., Zinkl, J.G., Jain, N.C., 2000. Platelet Production
Defects. In: Lippincott Williams, W., Schalm’s Veterinary
Hematology, 5th edition, 469-471.
Williams, E., Barker, I., 2001. Infectious Diseases of Wild Mammals.
st edition, Lowa State University Press.
Yagci, A.A., Gunes, V., 2017. The Effects on D-Dimer Level and Coagulatıon
Profile in Dogs With Distemper. Erciyes Üniversitesi Sağlık
Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Kayseri.
Yildirim, Y., Gunel, N., Coskun, U., Pasaoglu, H., Aslan, S., Cetin, A.,
Serum neopterin levels in patients with breast cancer. Medical
Oncology, 25(4), 403–407.
Most read articles by the same author(s)