Josefina Escardó
Current Organizations / Institutes
The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article
Josefina Escardó has a total of 11 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Emilia Rossini
Pathology Unit, Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay, Uruguay
1 shared publication - Fernando Fumagalli
Unidad de Semiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 13000, Uruguay
1 shared publication - Florencia Lundberg
Evolutionary Genetics Section, Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay, Uruguay
1 shared publication - Guillermo Godiño
Pathology Unit, Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay, Uruguay
1 shared publication - José Manuel Verdes
Unidad de Patología, Departamento de Patobiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
1 shared publication - Kanji Yamasaki
Pathology Unit, Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de la República (Udelar), Route 8 Km 18, Montevideo 13000, Uruguay
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
- 3 July 2026
- Published by MDPI AG in Preprints.org
Two Decades of Morbillivirus canis Surveillance in Uruguay Reveal Sustained Transmission, Local Genetic Structuring, and Comparable Neuropathological Patterns in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Dogs
Morbillivirus canis (canine distemper virus, CDV) remains a pathogen of major veterinary and conservation significance. Here, we summarize two decades of CDV surveillance in Uruguay by integrating laboratory-confirmed cases, diagnostic advances, molecular epidemiology, and neuropathological findings. Between 2006 and 2026, CDV infection was confirmed in 270 of 460 dogs submitted for diagnostic testing, supporting sustained transmission among clinically suspected cases. Confirmed infections were concentrated in young dogs and were more frequent during colder months, although the season was not significantly associated with diagnostic outcome. Dogs reported as vaccinated had a lower proportion of positive results than unvaccinated dogs; however, CDV infection was also detected in animals with reported vaccination history, suggesting that failures at some point in the immunization process cannot be ruled out and highlighting the need for improved records of vaccination protocols, immune status, and vaccine handling. Diagnostic capacity evolved from conventional RT-PCR to RT-qPCR, droplet digital PCR, and whole-genome sequencing, strengthening both clinical diagnosis and genomic surveillance. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene showed that all Uruguayan strains characterized to date belong to the Europe/South America 1 lineage and revealed two locally differentiated clades, UY-I and UY-II, that co-circulated without clear temporal or geographic segregation in the available dataset. Comparative neuropathological analysis of fatal cases showed severe demyelinating lesions in both vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs, with no detectable differences in lesion pattern or stage in this limited series. These findings reveal sustained CDV transmission and local genetic structuring in Uruguay and support the need for continuous molecular and genomic surveillance, improved vaccination monitoring, and integrated One Health strategies to reduce the impact of CDV on domestic dogs and susceptible wildlife.
- 3 July 2026
- Published by MDPI AG in Preprints.org
Open AccessTwo Decades of Morbillivirus canis Surveillance in Uruguay Reveal Sustained Transmission, Local Genetic Structuring, and Comparable Neuropathological Patterns in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Dogs
Morbillivirus canis (canine distemper virus, CDV) remains a pathogen of major veterinary and conservation significance. Here, we summarize two decades of CDV surveillance in Uruguay by integrating laboratory-confirmed cases, diagnostic advances, molecular epidemiology, and neuropathological findings. Between 2006 and 2026, CDV infection was confirmed in 270 of 460 dogs submitted for diagnostic testing, supporting sustained transmission among clinically suspected cases. Confirmed infections were concentrated in young dogs and were more frequent during colder months, although the season was not significantly associated with diagnostic outcome. Dogs reported as vaccinated had a lower proportion of positive results than unvaccinated dogs; however, CDV infection was also detected in animals with reported vaccination history, suggesting that failures at some point in the immunization process cannot be ruled out and highlighting the need for improved records of vaccination protocols, immune status, and vaccine handling. Diagnostic capacity evolved from conventional RT-PCR to RT-qPCR, droplet digital PCR, and whole-genome sequencing, strengthening both clinical diagnosis and genomic surveillance. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene showed that all Uruguayan strains characterized to date belong to the Europe/South America 1 lineage and revealed two locally differentiated clades, UY-I and UY-II, that co-circulated without clear temporal or geographic segregation in the available dataset. Comparative neuropathological analysis of fatal cases showed severe demyelinating lesions in both vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs, with no detectable differences in lesion pattern or stage in this limited series. These findings reveal sustained CDV transmission and local genetic structuring in Uruguay and support the need for continuous molecular and genomic surveillance, improved vaccination monitoring, and integrated One Health strategies to reduce the impact of CDV on domestic dogs and susceptible wildlife.