MORBILLIVIRUS INFECTIONS IN WILDLIFE (IN RELATION TO THEIR POPULATIONBIOLOGY AND DISEASE-CONTROL IN DOMESTIC-ANIMALS)

The three members of the morbillivirus genus that infect wildlife in e cosystems where domestic animals occur are rinderpest, peste des petit s ruminants (PPR) and canine distemper. Data on the relative susceptib ility of species of the Order Artiodactyla for rinderpest have been ob tained from historical records of outbreaks. Rinderpest in wildlife ha s only occurred in equatorial and eastern Africa since the great pande mic of 1889-1897. The distributions, densities and population dynamics of susceptible species in this region are described. There has only b een one recorded outbreak of PPR in wildlife but the possibility of it s occurrence in the future now that it is present in many parts of wes t and eastern Africa is discussed. Wild carnivora are not likely to be important maintenance hosts for canine distemper but the disease is o f significance in free-ranging carnivores and particularly in small po pulations of endangered susceptible wildlife species. It is also of gr eat significance in zoo populations.