Antibody Response in Puppies Infected with Canine Coronavirus

Abstract

Serum antibody response and its specificity were evaluated in puppies inoculated with canine corona virus (CCV) using neutralization test (NT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent, assay (ELISA) and Western blotting analysis. Correlation was high enough between NT and ELISA antibody titers. Cases which were negative in ELISA as well as in NT before inoculation, highly responded in Western blotting to three major viral proteins, VP145, VP50 and VP27, after CCV infection. Both NT-negative and positive (1:16) preinoculation sera reacted fairly with VP53 and VP56 after inoculation while weakly with VP27 and VP45. These data indicated that the early appearing antibodies to viral envelope antigens, VP27 and VP145, were specific and that the reaction to VP53 and 56 might be associated with the non-specific reaction in ELISA.