Canine Distemper Outbreak by Natural Infection in a Group of Vaccinated Maned Wolves in Captivity

Abstract

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is one of the most significant infectious disease threats to the health and conservation of free-ranging and captive wild carnivores. CDV vaccination using recombinant canarypox-based vaccines has been recommended for maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) after the failure of modified live vaccines that induced disease in vaccinated animals. Here, we report a CDV outbreak in a captive population of maned wolves that were previously vaccinated. Five juveniles and one adult from a group of seven maned wolves housed in an outdoor exhibit died in April–May 2013 in a zoo in the Metropolitan Region, Chile. Clinical signs ranged from lethargy to digestive and respiratory signs. Diagnosis of CDV was confirmed by histopathology, antibody assays, and viral molecular detection and characterization. The phylogenetic analyses of the nucleotide sequence of the H gene of the CDV genome identified in the two positive samples suggest a close relation with the lineage Europe 1, commonly found in South America and Chile. CDV infections in maned wolves have not been previously characterized. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first report of the clinical presentation of CDV in a canine species previously immunized with a recombinant vaccine.

A new canine distemper virus lineage identified from red pandas in China

“…The most effective prevention strategy against CDV is vaccination (Loots et al, 2017). CDV infections have been reported in many species including red pandas (Zhang et al, 2017), black leopards (Appel et al, 1994), lions (Roelke-Parker et al, 1996), African wild dogs (Goller et al, 2010;van de Bildt et al, 2002), Iberian lynx (Meli et al, 2010), Amur tigers (Seimon et al, 2013), cynomolgus monkeys (Sakai et al, 2013), Apennine wolves (Di Sabatino et al, 2014), giant pandas (Feng et al, 2016), Asiatic lions (Mourya et al, 2019) and maned wolves (Vergara-Wilson et al, 2021). Fortunately, CDV vaccines have produced an antibody response, which is likely protective, in giant pandas, red pandas, tigers, Nearctic river otters and other non-dog hosts (Geng et al, 2020;Peper et al, 2014;Ramsay et al, 2019;Sadler et al, 2016).…”

Molecular survey of selected viruses in Pudus ( Pudu puda ) in Chile revealing first identification of caprine herpesvirus—2 (CpHV-2) in South American ungulates

“… 2020 ; Vergara-Wilson et al. 2021 ). Chile lacks official health surveillance programs for various diseases, which hinders the implementation of prevention and control measures for possible outbreaks.…”

Neuropathologic and molecular aspects of a canine distemper epizootic in red foxes in Germany

“…Foxes can contract CDV via contact with unvaccinated dogs or alternatively transmit the virus to other susceptible species, thus serving as an initial source of CDV outbreaks wildlife infection 114 . This poses a serious threat to captive and free-ranging endangered wildlife species 115 – 118 , especially given sinking vaccination rates in dogs and diminished vaccine efficiencies in some species 115 – 119 . In summary, our study contributes to a better understanding of the pathologic processes in foxes evoked by CDV, which is important in the scope of understanding the impact of this virus infection upon wild animals.…”