Advances in canine distemper virus pathogenesis research: a wildlife perspective

Abstract

Canine distemper virus (CDV) has emerged as a significant disease of wildlife, which is highly contagious and readily transmitted between susceptible hosts. Initially described as an infectious disease of domestic dogs, it is now recognized as a global multi-host pathogen, infecting and causing mass mortalities in a wide range of carnivore species. The last decade has seen the effect of numerous CDV outbreaks in various wildlife populations. Prevention of CDV requires a clear understanding of the potential hosts in danger of infection as well as the dynamic pathways CDV uses to gain entry to its host cells and its ability to initiate viral shedding and disease transmission. We review recent research conducted on CDV infections in wildlife, including the latest findings on the causes of host specificity and cellular receptors involved in distemper pathogenesis.

Phylogenetic analysis of haemagglutinin gene deciphering a new genetically distinct lineage of canine distemper virus circulating among domestic dogs in India

“…Canine distemper (CD), caused by canine distemper virus (CDV), is a highly contagious and invariably fatal disease in domestic dogs and wild carnivores, posing a conservation threat to the endangered species around the world (McCarthy, Shaw, & Goodman, ). The virus was first isolated by Henri Carré in (Carré, 1905) and is responsible for a large number of animal deaths worldwide, having mortality rate second highest after rabies (Deem, Spelman, Yates, & Montali, ; Loots, Mitchell, Dalton, Kotzé, & Venter, ). Initially recognized as a life‐threatening disease in domestic dogs ( Canis familiaris ), CD has subsequently been detected in a wide range of hosts including Canids, Felids, Mustelids, Procyonids, Ursids, Viverrids, Hyaenids and some non‐human primates (Loots et al., ).…”

Development and validation of a portable, point-of-care canine distemper virus qPCR test

“…CDV affects a wide variety of carnivore species, including mustelids, procyonids, ursids, canids (domestic and wild), felids and marine mammals [2,[28][29][30]. It is considered among the most widespread multi-host pathogens [31].…”

“…All members of the order Carnivora are thought to be susceptible, and CDV exposure has also been described in several species of rodents, primates, suids, cervids, and elephants [1]. Significant mortality events have been described in terrestrial and marine mammals [2], and disease and outbreaks in endangered African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) [3], Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) [4], Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) [5][6][7], Amur leopards (Panthera pardus orientalis) [8], Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) [9], and black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) [10] are considered potentially significant conservation threats to these species. Domestic dogs and mesocarnivores are known reservoir hosts [2,6,7].…”

Genome Sequences of Three Vaccine Strains and Two Wild-Type Canine Distemper Virus Strains from a Recent Disease Outbreak in South Africa

“…Vaccination has proven to be an effective intervention strategy against CDV in domestic hosts (3, 4); however, there is still a lack of quantitative data on the effects of a CDV vaccine in wildlife (5). …”