Importance of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection in free-ranging Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus)

Abstract

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a morbillivirus that is the etiological agent of one of the most important viral diseases affecting canids and an expanding range of other carnivores. than Sierra Morena (5%). The stone marten and a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) also tested seropositive. In conclusion, CDV is present in the Iberian lynx population, especially in the Doñana region, with sporadic cases of disease. To reduce the infectious pressure of CDV on this endangered population, a mass dog vaccination should be considered.

Canine distemper outbreak in raccoons suggests pathogen interspecies transmission amongst alien and native carnivores in urban areas from Germany

“…The strains in our study were similar to CDV strains previously isolated from German foxes, originating geographically close to the Mü ritz National Park (Nikolin et al, 2012), as well as to domestic dogs from Hungary (Demeter et al, 2007). The respective virus strains cluster within the ''Europe'' lineage, which is the most commonly reported CDV cluster for carnivores in Europe (Martella et al, 2006;Demeter et al, 2007;Meli et al, 2010;Nikolin et al, 2012;Sekulin et al, 2011). Amino acid residues 530 and 549 of the H-protein are apparently related to host specificity and receptor usage.…”

“…Interactions of raccoons with other species, driven by an urbanized environment, could explain the clustering of the newly reported CDV strains within the ''Europe'' lineage, as members of this cluster are commonly reported for foxes and domestic dogs (Martella et al, 2006;Demeter et al, 2007;Meli et al, 2010;Nikolin et al, 2012;Sekulin et al, 2011). Comparison of our isolates demonstrated only a distant phylogenetic relation to commonly used vaccine strains, excluding them as a source of infection in this outbreak.…”

“…The prevalence of CDV in the world dog population is high in spite of common vaccination in developed countries. Fatal outbreaks of CDV infection have been reported in lions (Panthera leo) (Roelke-Parker et al, 1996), endangered species like the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) (Goller et al, 2010), and critically endangered species like the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) (Meli et al, 2010). Canine distemper is an acute to chronic systemic disease.…”

Domestic Dog Origin of Canine Distemper Virus in Free-ranging Wolves in Portugal as Revealed by Hemagglutinin Gene Characterization

“…Possible explanations for the close genetic similarity between wolf 75 and the dog include geographic and especially temporal proximity; both were taken in 2007-2008 within a distance of 60 km. In Europe, both directions of CDV transmission have been described; distemper in dogs resulting from spillover from wildlife (Martella et al, 2010) and vice versa (Meli et al, 2010). Similar geographic and temporal clusters have been observed for canine CDV sequences obtained in Denmark in 1991, Germany in 1996, Austria in 2001, and in fox and badger sequences obtained in 2008in Germany (Blixenkrone-Møller et al, 1993Sekulin et al, 2011).…”

Cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus—an update

“…CDV infections have been also reported in members of the genus Lynx including the highly endangered Iberian lynx ( Lynx pardinus ) [109], the Eurasian lynx ( Lynx lynx ) [14], the Canadian lynx ( Lynx canadensis ) [110], and bobcats ( Lynx rufus ) [110]. CDV was reported as the etiological agent of encephalitis in a Canadian lynx [110].…”