[Parvovirus enteritis and myocarditis in a confined colony of beagles. (The 1st detection of parvovirus infection in Czechoslovakia].

A description of the findings in a parvoviral epizooty, having occurred in a confined colony of 250 Beagle dogs in the autum and winter 1979-1980 and in 1981, is presented. 5 of the four month-old and older dogs perished in the course of an enteritic form of infection; 5 puppies, younger than 3 months, belonging to a group of 12 puppies derived from two infected litters, died in consequence of a parvoviral myocarditis. The simultaneous occurrence of myocarditis and enteritis was observed in a 9 day-old puppy. Among the seven remaining animals, two dogs were sacrificed at the ages of 18 and 23 months, respectively. Scars were found in the wall of the left ventricle of both of them. Parvoviral enteritis preceded the occurrence of parvoviral myocarditis. Characteristic intramuscular inclusions were demonstrated both in the enterocytes and in the myocardial cells. Electronmicroscopically particles of the size of the parvoviruses could be demonstrated in the nuclei of the myocardial cells, on one hand, and regressive changes of the nuclear components observed on the other hand.