03137: Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Panel for Comprehensive Testing for Reproductive and Neurologic Pathogens of Dogs
Grant Status: Open
One Health: Yes
Abstract
The large number of pathogens that contribute to infectious reproductive or neurologic disease and overlap of clinical signs makes using tests for multi-pathogen detection useful. Routinely, several individual or multiplex PCR assays are performed to identify active infection with these agents. Determining which tests to use for any given case can be difficult. Therefore, investigators propose to validate a comprehensive targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) panel for detection of all known neurologic and reproductive pathogens that infect dogs, as well as other infectious pathogens of dogs, including vector-borne agents previously validated through our work funded by AKC CHF. This takes the guesswork out of proper test selection for infectious disease diagnostics. The amount of data that can be generated with NGS allows for comprehensive testing, and use of a targeted method (adding primers to the protocol for amplification of targets of interest) reduces the cost to the point that this testing can be effectively used in a veterinary diagnostic lab. More and more veterinary laboratories are purchasing sequencing equipment, so this method has merit to be expanded to additional labs. With the comprehensive nature of the panel, epidemiological evaluation of infectious diseases in the dog population can also be improved.
Publication(s)
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.