The Prospect of Immunoglobulin Y Utilization for Therapy Canine parvovirus Infection in Dogs

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly infectious virus. The virus contributes to death in dogs worldwide. The death rate due to infection of CPV in dog reaches 91%. Prevention of CPV infection in puppies have been done by vaccination which is proven effective, but infection still occurs mainly in unvaccinated puppies. Protective mechanisms of maternal antibodies contribute to the failure of vaccination. Highly stable characteristics of parvo virus enables the virus still exist in the environment. Until now, there has not been any effective therapeutic agent to prevent death due to CPV infection. Various therapies are performed only suppressed the clinical symptoms but can not prevent the death of a dog, especially in puppies. Intravenous immunoglobulin Y (IgY) therapy has shown to suppress the spread of the CPV infection and prevent the death of the dog. Immunoglobulin Y will neutralize the virus, so it can not infect host cells. This review will discuss CPV alternative therapy and the advatages using of IgY specific antibodies isolated from chicken egg yolk.

Key words: Parvovirus, canine, immunotherapy, immunoglobulin Y