Epizootiological investigations of canine distemper virus in free-ranging carnivores from Germany

Canine distemper virus (CDV) infects a broad range of carnivores. To assess whether wild carnivores may play a role in the epidemiology of CDV in dome stic dogs in Germany, the seroprevalence of CDV was determined. in sera fro m red foxes (30 of 591 (5%)) and stone martens (2 of 10 (20%)) antiviral an tibodies were detected using a neutralization assay, whereas sera of raccoo ns, two mink, one pine marten and one raccoon dog were negative. In foxes, there was a significantly higher prevalence in urban and suburban compared to rural regions. When testing lung and spleen tissue samples (fox, badger, stone marten, polecat, raccoon dog) 13 of 253 (5.1%) foxes, 2 of 13 (15.4% ) stone martens and 2 of 6 (33%) badgers were virus positive using RT-PCR. Phylognetic analysis based on partial sequences of the F gene revealed a di stinct relatedness to canine CDV isolates. Together, the data support the c oncept of transmission of CDV between domestic dogs and wild carnivores. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.