Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses
Published on: May 2, 2019
Morbillivirus infection in a wild siberian tiger in the Russian Far East
Kathy S Quigley1, James F Evermann, Charles W Leathers
1Siberian Tiger Project, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA. kqdvm@earthlink.net
Abstract:
We report the first documented case of morbillivirus infection in a wild, free-ranging Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). The tigress entered a small village in the Russian Far East in an ambulatory but stuporous state with no apparent recognition or fear of humans. Her condition progressed rapidly with neurological signs, anorexia, and ultimately death. Histologic lesions included vacuolated to malacic white matter in the brain stem, cerebellum, and thalamus, with associated lymphocytic meningoencephalitis. Large, intranuclear, eosinophilic inclusions were within regional astrocytes, and the brain lesions were immunohistochemically positive when stained for canine distemper viral antigen. Hematologic and blood chemistry results were consistent with overwhelming systemic infection and starvation. The animal also was antibody-positive for canine distemper virus, feline panleukopenia, and feline coronavirus.
Related Concept Videos
Rabies
Poliomyelitis
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Viral Recombination
Arboviral Encephalitis
Viral Meningitis

