Molecular analysis of the nucleoprotein gene of canine distemper virus isolated from clinical cases of the disease in foxes, minks and dogs.

In this study, we used RT-PCR to detect and characterize canine distemper virus isolated from 9 naturally infected foxes, 3 minks and 3 dogs in Poland by amplifying and sequencing a portion of the NP gene. A 293-bp fragment of the CDV NP gene was amplified by RT-PCR. Sequencing of the PCR products from the isolates led to the identification of 3 sequence variants. The mostly representative polymorphic variant No. 1 showed high homology with Chinese isolate of CDV with a accession number EF 375619. The sequences of all isolates from this polymorphic variants compared with the sequences of other polymorphic variants obtained in the study and with European and American isolates sequences from GenBank showed the conservative nucleotides changes in positions 57, 132, 143, 159 and 237. These mutations can indicate that in this part of Europe there are new variants of CDV.