ACUTE PHASE PROTEINS EVALUATION IN DOGS WITH PARVOVIRUS: PRELIMINARY STUDY

Canine parvovirus is a severe viral infection commonly affecting puppies. Clinical presentation typically involves expression of a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). Acute phase proteins (APPs) are reliable circulating biomarkers of inflammation and infection in humans and their potential use in dogs is supported by former studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of a panel of APPs, comprehensive of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Haptoglobin (Hp), Transferrin (TIBC), Fibrinogen (Fib), Albumin (Alb), in dogs affected by parvovirus. Dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of parvovirus admitted at the University of Bologna - Veterinary Teaching Hospital (April 2006 - December 2008) were included. Upon admission blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture. At least one aliquot of serum and plasma citrate were stored at - 80º C upon analysis. Blood samples from 8 healthy puppies (N) and 7 puppies with different diseases meeting SIRS criteria (S) were also available as controls. APPs were assayed on serum or plasma using specific methods on an automated chemistry analyzer. Results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test and linear regression analysis. A group of 18 dogs with parvovirus (P), 9 males and 9 females, median age 2 months (range 1.5-25), median weight 3.5 kg (1.5-20) was preliminarily selected: 9 survivors (Ps) and 9 nonsurvivors (Pn). Mean hospitalization was 10 days for Ps and 4.8 days for Pn. APPs concentrations in P (n=18) were all significantly different from normal ones found in N (n=8) and showed the following median values: CRP 7.4 mg/dl (range 0.7-23.5), Hp 317 mg/dl (117-374), TIBC 216 μg/dl (140-348), Fib 3.8 g/l (1.9-6.5, n=16), Alb 1.8 g/dl (0.9-2.7). Median APPs concentrations in S (n=7) were: CRP 5.6 mg/dl (range 3.7-16.1), Hp 212 mg/dl (68-298), TIBC 411 μg/dl (345-527), Fib 2.9 g/l (2.4-3.6, n=4), Alb 2.8 g/dl (2.3-2.9). Statistically significant differences between P and S were found for Hp, TIBC and Alb (p<0,05). CRP, Fib (p<0,05) and Alb (p<0,001) values were significantly lower in Pn than in Ps. Lower TIBC values in Pn than in Ps were borderline significant (p=0,05). No correlation was found between CRP values and WBC count in P. Concentrations of positive and negative APPs reported in this preliminary study confirmed the expression of a SIRS in dogs affected by parvovirus. Lower CRP values found in Pn could indicate a weaker ability of mounting a defensive response to a foreign insult in these subjects. Alb and TIBC concentrations seem to predict outcome in this group of dogs affected by canine parvovirus. Further studies including a serial evaluation of these APPs in a wider population of SIRS dogs with parvovirus are warranted to confirm their potential prognostic significance in course of this disease.