Canine Distemper Virus: an Emerging Disease in Wild Endangered Amur Tigers (Panthera tigris altaica)

摘要: ABSTRACT Fewer than 500 Amur tigers ( Panthera tigris altaica ) remain in the wild. Due to low numbers and their solitary reclusive nature, tiger sightings across range Russian Far East China are rare; of sick rarer still. Serious neurologic disease observed several wild since 2001 suggested emergence this endangered species. To investigate possibility, histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), situ hybridization (ISH), reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) were performed on tissues from 5 affected that died or destroyed 2001, 2004, 2010. Our results reveal canine distemper virus (CDV) infection as cause two definitively establish a third. Nonsuppurative encephalitis with demyelination, eosinophilic nuclear viral inclusions, positive immunolabeling for CDV by IHC ISH present available brain tissue. phosphoprotein (P) hemagglutinin (H) gene products obtained brains these RT-PCR, short fragment P sequence was detected lymph node tissue third tiger. Phylogenetically, groups an Arctic-like strain Baikal seals Phoca siberica ). results, which include mapping location recognition cluster cases 2010, coupled lack reported antibodies prior 2000 suggest wide geographic distribution recent significant infectious threat East. IMPORTANCE Recognition wildlife is rare occurrence. Here, first time, we identify characterize (CDV), second most common death domestic dogs global importance carnivores, etiology fatal wild, tigers. We 2010 directly indirectly killed ~1% Location over expansive area suggests widely distributed range. Interspecies interactions increasing human populations grow expand into habitats. Identifying animal reservoirs identifying strains transmissible among species, including sympatric critically leopards pardus orientalis ), essential guiding conservation mitigation efforts.