AFRICAN WILD DOGS (LYCAON-PICTUS) ENDANGERED BY A CANINE-DISTEMPER EPIZOOTIC AMONG DOMESTIC DOGS NEAR THE MASAI-MARA NATIONAL RESERVE, KENYA

A longitudinal study of canine distemper (CD) among domestic dogs on M aasai communal land to the north of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya was conducted from 1989 to 1991. Prevalence of antibodies to CD was very low among domestic dogs in 1989 and 1990 (4%, n = 49; and 1% , n = 119, respectively) and no African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus; n = 16) collected simultaneously from the same area had detectable antibod ies. Among 51 domestic dogs sampled in 1991, however, prevalence of CD antibodies rose significantly (P < 0.01) to 76%. Disease-related mort ality rates among domestic dogs were estimated from 1990 to 1992; they rose significantly (P < 0.01) from 21% in 1990 to 50% in 1991 and the n decreased significantly (P < 0.01) to 38% in 1992. The 1992 mortalit y rate remained significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of 1990. Sig ns observed in clinically ill domestic dogs were consistent with CD an d included listlessness, decreased appetite, bilateral serous to mucop urulent oculonasal discharge, and diarrhea. No carcasses could be retr ieved for virus isolation and postmortem examination. Concurrent with this CD epizootic in domestic dogs, the known African wild dog packs i n this region disappeared.