Use of rapid immunochromatographic tests and PCR for the detection of vaccine viruses (CPV, CDV CAV) in faeces and conjunctival sac swabs of vaccinated dogs

The aim of the study was to determine whether the rapid diagnostic CPV Ag (VetExpert), CDV Ag (VetExpert) and CDV/CAV Ag (VetExpert) tests are able to detect the presence of vaccine viruses in faeces and conjunctival swabs (CDV) collected from dogs vaccinated against distemper, parvovirus and Rubarth’s disease. The tested dogs were administered vaccines once, and then faeces and conjunctival sac swabs were collected from all animals on days: 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 20, 25 after the vaccination for molecular testing and to perform rapid immunochromatographic tests for the detection of CPV, CDV and CAV antigens. The immunochromatographic tests were not able to detect the presence of any of the tested pathogens during the 25-day observation period in the vaccinated dogs, although CPV was detected in faeces by PCR up to 20 days after vaccination, and CDV and CAV up to 14 days after vaccination. Summing up the results of our own research, it should be stated that rapid immunochromatographic tests are not able to detect CPV, CDV and CAV vaccine viruses in the faeces of animals subjected to vaccination, and in the case of CDV also in the conjunctival swabs, but they are an excellent tool for detecting these pathogens in animals infected with field strains of these viruses and showing clinical symptoms of the diseases.