Viral diseases of northern ungulates

Abstract

This paper describes viral diseases reported in northern ungulates and those that are a potential threat to these species. The following diseases are discussed: bovine viral diarrhoea/mucosal disease (BVD/MD), alphaherpesvirus infections, malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), poxvirus infections, parainfluenza type 3 virus infection, Alvsborg disease, foot-and-mouth disease, epizootic haemorrhage disease of deer and bluetongue disease, rabies, respiratory syncytial virus infection, adenovirus infection, hog-cholera, Aujeszky's disease and equine herpesvirus infections. There are no significant differences in antibody prevalence to BVDV among deer in habitats with high, intermediate and low density of cattle. In addition, sequence analysis from the BVDV isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) showed that this strain was unique within BVDV group I. Disrinct BVDV strains might circulate in free-ranging roe deer populations in Germany and virus transmission may be independent of domestic livestock. Similar results have been obtained in a serological survey of alpha-herpesviruses in deer in Germany. Malignant catarrhal fever was studied in fallow deer (Cervus damd) in Germany: the seroprevalence and positive PCR results detected in sheep originating from the same area as the antibody-positive deer might indicate that sheep are the main reservoir animals. Contagious ecthyma (CE) is a common disease in domestic sheep and goats caused by the orf virus. CE has been diagnosed in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), Dall sheep (Ovis dalli), chamois (Rupkapra rupicapra), muskox {Ovibos moschatus) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Most parainfluenza type 3 virus infections

Evidence of parapox-, alphaherpes- and pestivirus infections in carcasses of semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from Finnmark, Norway

“…These are two reindeer populations with very limited contact with cattle, which also supports this view. Also other wild cervid populations in Norway and other European countries are hosting alpha-herpesviruses and pestiviruses (Thiry et al, 1988;Frölich & Hoffman, 1995;Anonymous, 1999;Frölich, 2000;Lillehaug et al, 2003). Pestivirus isolates from a zoo-reindeer, a giraffe and a bison are tentative new species of the genus (Avalos-Ramirez et al, 2001;Becher et al, 2003), and recent characterisation of pestivirus isolates from roe deer from Germany (Fischer et al, 1998), Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) (Arnal et al, 2004), and pronghorne antelope (Antilocopra americana) from USA (Vilcek et al, 2005) indicates that these viruses do not fit with the pestivirus species identified so far, and that several distinct pestiviruses might exist among wildlife species.…”

Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park

“…Bovine-viral-diarrhea virus type 1 causes enteritis, mucosal disease, infections, and respiratory and reproductive disorders in cattle (Baker 1995), but this apparently is not the case in elk (Tessaro et al 1999). The epidemiology of these viruses in wild elk remains unresolved, and continued research is needed (Depner et al 1991, Aguirre et al 1995, Frolich 2000.…”

“…Although most PI-3 infections in ungulates are mild or clinically undetectable and no severe clinical effects have been demonstrated in elk, death can result when secondary infections of Pasteurella spp. cause pneumonia (Martin 1996, Frolich 2000, Storz et al 2000. Bovine-viral-diarrhea virus type 1 causes enteritis, mucosal disease, infections, and respiratory and reproductive disorders in cattle (Baker 1995), but this apparently is not the case in elk (Tessaro et al 1999).…”

“…Moreover, it affects basic population parameters such as birth and death rates, age composition, and abundance (Eberhardt 1971(Eberhardt , 1985. The importance of disease in the management of elk populations has been recognized for .50 years (Cowan 1951, Murie 1951, Honess and Winter 1956, and disease surveys are important to long-term monitoring of wild ungulate populations (Aguirre and Starkey 1994, Aguirre et al 1995, Rhyan et al 1997, Frolich 2000, Thorne et al 2002. Early surveys on elk in YNP (Rush 1932, Tunnicliff and Marsh 1935, Worley and Barrett 1964, Greer 1968, Meagher 1974 did not have the capabilities to screen for the blood characteristics and diseases that are now considered routine.…”

What attracts elk onto cattle pasture? Implications for inter-species disease transmission

“…Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Dicrocoelium lanceolatum, Fascioloides magna, Echinococcus granulosus), or vector-borne transmission (Bluetongue virus, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease virus, Anaplasma marginale, Babesia sp.) (Smits, 1991;Aguirre et al, 1995;Frölich, 2000;Corn and Nettles, 2001;Conner et al, 2008;Corn et al, 2010;Miller et al, 2013). The response of elk to cattle presence and to pasture management practices likely affects inter-species interactions, and the risk of transmission of various types of pathogens between cattle and elk.…”