Ds. Miller et al., Serologic survey for selected infectious disease agents in swift and kit foxes from the western United States, J WILDL DIS, 36(4), 2000, pp. 798-805
A serologic survey of swift fox Vulpes velox) and kit fox (V macrotis) from
the western USA was conducted for 12 infectious diseases. Samples from swi
ft fox were collected between 1987 and 1992 from Colorado (n = 44), Kansas
(n = 10), and Wyoming (n = 9). Samples from kit fox were collected in Calif
ornia (n = 86), New Mexico (n = 18), Utah (n = 9) and Arizona (n = 6). Over
all antibody prevalence rates were 33 of 110 (30%) for canine parvovirus (C
PV), 9 of 72 (13%) for canine distemper virus (CDV). 23 of 117 (20%) for ve
sicular stomatitis New Jersey, 16 of 117 (14%) for vesicular stomatitis Ind
iana, six of 117 (5%) for Cache Valley virus, five of 117 (4%) for Jamestow
n Canyon virus, one of 97 (1%) for rabies virus, one of 117 (1%) for Colora
do tick fever virus, and one of 117 (1%) for western equine encephalitis vi
rus. In addition, antibodies were not found to Yersinia pestis, Francisella
tularensis, and Borrelia burgdorferi swift fox from Colorado had serologic
evidence of exposure to CPV more often than juveniles. No juvenile swift f
ox from Colorado had serum antibodies to CDV There were season-specific dif
ferences in serum antibody prevalence for for swift fox from Colorado. No v
iruses were isolated from ectoparasites or fos from Colorado.