Canine distemper virus infection in binturongs (Arctictis binturong)

Procyonidae, Viverridae, Hyenidae, Herpestidae, Eupleridae, and Prionodontidae

This chapter covers the diseases and pathology of multiple taxonomic groups within the order Carnivora including Procyonidae several of the Feliformia carnivores. The overwhelming majority of knowledge about disease pathogenesis for these species is biased toward raccoons and concern for disease spread to humans and companion animals. Procyonids and feliform carnivores are ubiquitous in their environments and share habitat and environmental resources with other nondomestic and domestic carnivores and humans. As reservoirs for a number of important multispecies or zoonotic pathogens, surveys for pathogens that may be harbored or vectored by several of the species in this chapter, for example, raccoons (e.g., canine distemper virus, rabies, and leptospirosis) and civets (e.g., SARS coronavirus), have been active areas of investigation. Unfortunately, less research has focused on the potential effects of these pathogens on their hosts.

MYCOBACTERIUM INTRACELLULARE INFECTION CAUSING A RETROPERITONEAL MASS IN A BINTURONG (ARCTICTIS BINTURONG)

A 19-yr-old castrated male binturong ( Arctictis binturong ) with a history of recurrent pyogranulomatous panniculitis, lymphangitis, and dermatitis was presented for evaluation of hyporexia and tenesmus. A large caudal abdominal mass was palpated on physical examination. On ultrasound, the mass encircled and obstructed the left ureter, resulting in hydroureter and hydronephrosis. The animal was euthanized, and necropsy revealed a large retroperitoneal pyogranuloma with acid-fast organisms identified in both the mass and the perineal skin. The acid-fast organisms within the retroperitoneal mass were identified as Mycobacterium intracellulare by PCR. This case represents an unusual presentation of M. intracellulare in a novel species.

Potential Pathogens Reported in Species of the Family Viverridae and Their Implications for Human and Animal Health

The Viverridae is a family of nocturnal carnivores including civets, genets and African linsangs. While a list of known organisms isolated from a species is an essential tool for population management, this review represents the first attempt to collate published reports of organisms isolated from viverrids. A wide range of organisms, including 11 viruses, eight bacterial species, one internal arthropod species, representatives from eight genera of protozoan, 21 genera of nematode, seven genera of cestode, eight genera of trematode and six genera of external arthropod (mites, ticks and louse), have been reported in literature spanning over a century of research. Many of these are capable of infecting multiple hosts, including humans. This is of concern given the anthropogenic factors that bring humans and domestic species into close contact with viverrids, facilitating transmission and spillover of organisms between groups. These factors include trade in viverrids for human consumption, captive management in zoos, rescue centres or on commercial breeding farms, and the increasing overlap of free-ranging viverrid distribution and human settlement.

Cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus-an update

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a pantropic morbillivirus with a worldwide distribution, which causes fatal disease in dogs. Affected animals develop dyspnea, diarrhea, neurological signs and profound immunosuppression. Systemic CDV infection, resembling distemper in domestic dogs, can be found also in wild canids (e.g. wolves, foxes), procyonids (e.g. raccoons, kinkajous), ailurids (e.g. red pandas), ursids (e.g. black bears, giant pandas), mustelids (e.g. ferrets, minks), viverrids (e.g. civets, genets), hyaenids (e.g. spotted hyenas), and large felids (e.g. lions, tigers). Furthermore, besides infection with the closely related phocine distemper virus, seals can become infected by CDV. In some CDV outbreaks including the mass mortalities among Baikal and Caspian seals and large felids in the Serengeti Park, terrestrial carnivores including dogs and wolves have been suspected as vectors for the infectious agent. In addition, lethal infections have been described in non-carnivore species such as peccaries and non-human primates demonstrating the remarkable ability of the pathogen to cross species barriers. Mutations affecting the CDV H protein required for virus attachment to host-cell receptors are associated with virulence and disease emergence in novel host species. The broad and expanding host range of CDV and its maintenance within wildlife reservoir hosts considerably hampers disease eradication.

Canine distemper virus infection among wildlife before and after the epidemic

In 2007–2008, a canine distemper virus (CDV) epidemic occurred among wild animals in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, and many mammals, including the wild boar and deer, were infected. In this study, CDV prevalence among wild animals was surveyed before and after the epidemic. At first, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated protein A/G was established to detect CDV antibodies in many mammalian species. This established ELISA was available for testing dogs, raccoons and raccoon dogs as well as virus-neutralization test. Next, a serological survey of wild mammalians was conducted, and it was indicated that many wild mammalians, particularly raccoons, were infected with CDV during the epidemic, but few were infected before and after the epidemic. On the other hand, many raccoon dogs died during the epidemic, but CDV remained prevalent in the remaining population, and a small epidemic occurred in raccoon dogs in 2012–2013. These results indicated that the epidemic of 2007–2008 may have been intensified by transmission to raccoons.