Detection of Arctic and European cluster of canine distemper virus in north and center of Iran

Canine distemper virus (CDV) creates a very contagious viral multi-systemic canine distemper (CD) disease that affects most species of Carnivora order. The virus is genetically heterogeneous, particularly in section of the hemagglutinin (H) gene. Sequence analysis of the H gene can be useful to investigate distinction of various lineages related to geographical distribution and CDV molecular epidemiology. Since vaccination program is conducted only in large cities of Iran, CD still remains as one of the major causes of death in dogs in this country. In order to monitor H gene, CDV has been detected in ۱۴ out of ۱۹ sampled dogs through the amplification of nucleoprotein (NP) gene in nested-PCR assay. In the next step ۶۶۵ bp of H gene was amplified in ۹ out of ۱۴ NP-gene positive dogs. Phylogenetic analysis distinguished two distinct CDV genotypes in Iran. JN۹۴۱۲۳۸ has been embedded in European cluster and JN۹۴۱۲۳۹ has been embedded in Arctic cluster. Nucleic analysis has been shown high difference among both Iranian CDV lineages with CDV vaccine strains.

Keywords:

Canine distemper virus , Hemagglutinin gene , Nucleoprotein gene , Phylogenetic analysis