Canine distemper in a genet (Gennetta gennetta), associated with endogenous lipid pneumonia

This report describes the histological and immunohistochemical findings in an adult male genet (Gennetta gennetta) which died a few hours after being found lying in a forest in Lugo (north-western Spain). Subpleural, yellowis h, firm foci were found in the lung. Histopathological examination confirme d a diagnosis or endogenous lipid pneumonia. Microscopical lesions that giv e rise to a suspicion of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection included ly mphoid depletion, non-suppurative encephalitis and demyelination in the cen tral nervous system, and the presence of inclusion bodies in renal tubules. Immunohistochemical examination was performed with streptavidin biotin-com plex method and a monoclonal antibody against the nucleocapsid protein (NP) of CDV. Antigen was detected in epithelial, nervous and lymphoid cells in several organs. This would appear to be the first report of distemper-like infection in a genet. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.