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Distemper outbreak and its effect on African wild dog conservation
Marco W G van de Bildt1, Thijs Kuiken, Aart M Visee
1Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Pieterburen, The Netherlands.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|March 19, 2002
Abstract:
In December 2000, an infectious disease spread through a captive breeding group of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Tanzania, killing 49 of 52 animals within 2 months. The causative agent was identified as Canine distemper virus (CDV) by means of histologic examination, virus isolation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, and nucleotide sequencing. This report emphasizes the importance of adequate protection against infectious diseases for the successful outcome of captive breeding programs of endangered species.