The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect canine distemper virus (CDV). Four oligonucleotide pairs were selected (P1, P2, N1, H1), based on the sequences of the phosphoprotein, hemagglutinin and nuraminidase genes for assay standardization, and three CDV vaccine strains were used as positive controls. Three viral isolates from dogs with canine distemper and four samples from animals clinically suspected of distemper were analysed. No amplification was detected in suspected samples. Results obtained by using P1 and N1 oligonucleotides were superior to those with H1 ones. P2 oligonucleotides were considered inadequate for CDV detection. Amplicons resulting from amplification of P1, N1 and H1 oligonucleotides were submitted to cleavage by restriction endonucleases and restriction patterns of viral samples were compared to that of Lederle strain used as reference. A similar restriction pattern was observed in all analysed samples.
dog; canine distemper virus; RT-PCR; polymorphism
