Canine distemper

This article is about a disease affecting mammals generally in the order Carnivora. For other diseases known as "distemper", see Distemper.
Morbillivirus canis
Canine distemper virus cytoplasmic inclusion body (blood smear, Wright's stain)
Canine distemper virus cytoplasmic inclusion body (blood smear, Wright's stain)
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Negarnaviricota
Class: Monjiviricetes
Order: Mononegavirales
Family: Paramyxoviridae
Genus: Morbillivirus
Species:
Morbillivirus canis
Synonyms[1]

Canine distemper virus

Canine distemper virus (CDV) (sometimes termed "footpad disease") is a viral disease that affects a wide variety of mammal families,[2] including domestic and wild species of dogs, coyotes, foxes, pandas, wolves, ferrets, skunks, raccoons, and felines, as well as pinnipeds, some primates, and a variety of other species. CDV does not affect humans.

In canines, CDV affects several body systems, including the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, the spinal cord, and the brain. Common symptoms include high fever, eye inflammation and eye/nose discharge, labored breathing and coughing, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy, and hardening of the nose and footpads. The viral infection can be accompanied by secondary bacterial infections and can eventually present serious neurological symptoms.

Canine distemper is caused by a single-stranded RNA virus of the family Paramyxoviridae (the same family of viruses that causes measles, mumps, and bronchiolitis in humans). The disease is highly contagious via inhalation.[3] Morbidity and mortality may vary greatly among animal species, with up to 100% mortality in unvaccinated populations of ferrets. In domestic dogs, while the acute generalized form of distemper has a high mortality rate, disease duration and severity depend mainly on the animal's age, immune status, and the virulence of the infecting strain of the virus.[3][4] Despite extensive vaccination in many regions, it remains a major disease in dogs and was the leading cause of infectious disease death in dogs prior to a vaccine becoming available.[5]

  1. ^ "ICTV Taxonomy history: Canine morbillivirus". International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  2. ^ "canine distemper – Invasive Species Compendium – CABI".
  3. ^ a b Deem, Sharon L.; Spelman, Lucy H.; Yates, Rebecca A.; Montali, Richard J. (December 2000). "Canine Distemper in Terrestrial Carnivores: A Review" (PDF). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 31 (4): 441–451. doi:10.1638/1042-7260(2000)031[0441:CDITCA]2.0.CO;2. PMID 11428391. S2CID 12596794. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
  4. ^ Andreas, Beineke; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Wohlsein, Peter (13 September 2015). "Cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus – an update". One Health. 1: 49–59. doi:10.1016/j.onehlt.2015.09.002. PMC 5462633. PMID 28616465.
  5. ^ "Animal Health" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-10-30.