<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Canine distemper virus (CDV) affects both white and grey matter in the central nervous system (CNS). It causes demyelination of white matter tracts, which releases myelin basic protein (MBP) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). MBP levels in CSF could therefore indirectly indicate the extent of white matter damage. The objective of this study was to determine MBP levels in the CSF of dogs infected with natural cases of neurologic distemper.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: In this study samples from healthy dogs, clinical cases of CDV and stray dogs from in and around the institute were collected for investigation. The infection of the CNS was established by estimating the albumin quotient and, for 16 cases, by histopathology. CSF biochemical parameters were analysed for 35 sero-positive clinical cases of neurologic distemper. MBP levels in samples were estimated by quantitative ELISA. Stray dogs (6 cases) were also screened for this purpose.&nbsp; 
 
Result: MBP levels in CSF were significantly (p&le;0.05) increased in natural cases of distemper encephalomyelitis and stray dogs relative to controls. Three of the neurologic distemper cases clinically recovered despite high MBP levels, and two stray dogs also had higher MBP concentrations. High CSF MBP may therefore not be a useful marker for predicting the outcome of neurologic distemper.</div>

Estimation of Myelin Basic Protein Levels in Natural Cases of Canine Distemper Encephalomyelitis

Background: The porcine teschovirus (PTV) is common swine pathogen which causes a wide range of illnesses ranging from asymptomatic infection to acute fatal encephalomyelitis, diarrhoea and pneumonia. Despite of its economical importance very limited studies are available on the pathology of PTV. The present study was conducted with the objective to investigate the PTV infection and associated pathology in piglets. 
 
Methods: A total of 78 piglets below 3 months of age were necropsied and representative tissue samples along with intestinal content were collected for histopathological examination and molecular investigation during April 2019 to November 2020. The 5&#39;&nbsp; UTR region of PTV was amplified via RT-PCR and further confirmed by sequencing. Thereafter, genetic characterization of the Indian PTV isolate was done on the basis of 5&#39; UTR gene.&nbsp; 
 
Result: A total of seven out of 78 cases were found positive for the PTV. On necropsy the intestinal wall was thinned and distended with yellowish coloured diarrhoeic content. Congestion of serosal and mucosal vessels along with severe meningeal congestion was observed. Microscopic lesions included congestion of mucosal vessels and destruction of villous structure of jejunum along with perivascular cuffing, focal gliosis, neuronophagia, congestion of meningeal and cerebral vessels and interstitial pneumonia. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate PTV/India/IVRI-381/2020 (MW022462) and PTV/India/IVRI-1093/2020 (MW022463) were clustered with PTV-13 strain wild boar/WB2C-TV/2011/HUN (JQ429405) and PTV-2 strain Vir 6711-12/83 (AF296107) of Hungary and Germany respectively. This study reported the genotypic and pathological investigation of PTV from Indian piglets. Further explorative surveillance along with studies in suitable cell lines and animal model will pave the way for better understanding of PTV among Indian pigs.

Estimation of Myelin Basic Protein Levels in Natural Cases of Canine Distemper Encephalomyelitis

Genetic Characterization and Pathology of Porcine Teschovirus (PTV) in India