Canine Herpes Virus

Canine Herpes Virus Background

Transmission occurs during passage of puppies through the birth canal or venereally in adult dogs. Puppies can also be horizontally infected by littermates by direct contact with infectious body fluids. Like other herpesviruses, CaHV-1 becomes latent after a primary infection and is shed periodically, primarily in nasal or rarely in genital secretions (Evermann et al., 2011).

CaHV-1 infection causes a generalized hemorrhagic disease with a high mortality rate in neonatal puppies (1 to 3 weeks of age). Clinically affected puppies do not suckle, cry persistently, become depressed and weak, and fail to thrive. Older puppies, aged 3–5 weeks, develop less severe clinical signs and are likely to survive with neurologic sequelae such as ataxia and blindness resulting from reactivation of latent infection. In adult dogs, CaHV-1 causes a persistent, latent infection of the reproductive tract with recurrence and shedding during periods of physiologic stress. Infection in adult dogs may result in stillbirths, abortions, and infertility.

​ CaHV-1 has a global distribution in canine populations, especially in breeding kennels, with prevalence varying from approximately 30% to 90% amongst different countries (Bottinelli et al., 2016). Some infected dog kennels have much higher antibody prevalence rates, without any evidence of disease in infected puppies. Unfortunately, antiviral treatment is usually not effective. A CHV vaccine exists, but is not yet licensed for use in the United States.

References

• Evermann et al. (2011). Canine Reproductive, Respiratory, and Ocular Diseases due to Canine Herpesvirus. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 41(6), 1097–1120.
• Bottinelli et al. (2016). Serological and biomolecular survey on canine herpesvirus-1 infection in a dog breeding kennel. J Vet Med Sci. 78(5):797–802.