Serologic survey for selected infectious disease agents in swift and kit foxes from the western United States

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.