Open AccessCanine distemper viral infection threatens the giant panda population in China
Author(s) -
Yipeng Jin,
Xinke Zhang,
Yisheng Ma,
Yanchao Qiao,
Xiaobin Liu,
Kaihui Zhao,
Chenglin Zhang,
Dazhen Lin,
Xiangsheng Fu,
Xu Xinrong,
Yiwei Wang,
Huanan Wang
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
oncotarget
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.373
H-Index - 127
ISSN - 1949-2553
DOI - 10.18632/oncotarget.23042
Subject(s) - canine distemper , ailuropoda melanoleuca , virology , biology , population , virus , medicine , zoology , environmental health
We evaluated exposure to canine distemper virus (CDV) in eight wild giant pandas ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) and 125 unvaccinated domestic dogs living in and around Foping National Nature Reserve (FNNR), China. Seventy-two percent of unvaccinated domestic dogs (mixed breed) had neutralizing antibodies for CDV due to exposure to the disease. The eight wild giant pandas were naïve to CDV and carried no positive antibody titer. RT-PCR assays for hemagglutinin ( H ) gene confirmed the presence of CDV in 31 clinically ill dogs from several areas near FNNR. Genomic sequence analysis showed that the 21 canine CDV were highly homologous to each other and belonged to the Asian-1 genotype. They showed high homology with the GP01 strain sequenced from a fatally infected giant panda, suggesting cross-species infection. Observational and GPS tracking data revealed home range overlap in pandas and dogs around FNNR. This study shows that CDV is endemic in domestic dogs near FNNR and that cross-species CDV infection threatens the wild giant panda population.