INVESTIGATION OF ZONULIN LEVELS IN DOGS INFECTED WITH CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS

This study aims to investigate the impact of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) infection on plasma zonulin levels, focusing particularly on how this effect varies in patients exhibiting neurological symptoms. The research involved the evaluation of 20 infected dogs and 10 healthy control dogs, all of which were brought to the Internal Medicine Clinics of Aydın Adnan Menderes University Veterinary Faculty for diagnosis and treatment. The zonulin levels in the infected dogs were found to be significantly higher compared to the healthy controls. These findings suggest that the virus affects not only the gastrointestinal barrier but also the blood-brain barrier. This supports the hypothesis that these changes may contribute to the increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier.