Serological, bacteriological and clinical observations on an outbreak of canine infectious tracheobronchitis in Norway

Abstract

During the autumn of 1988 an outbreak of canine infectious tracheobronchitis, which seemed to be more infectious than usual, occurred throughout Scandinavia. Paired serum samples and bacterial swabs were collected from 52 dogs with clinical signs of infectious tracheobronchitis in three districts of Norway. The results revealed a fourfold or greater rise in the titre of antibodies against canine parainfluenza virus in 79 per cent of the cases, strongly suggesting that the virus was of aetiological importance in the outbreak. Bordetella bronchiseptica was not isolated from the diseased dogs, and they showed no rise in the titres of antibodies against influenza virus, reovirus or adenovirus.