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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
06:41
Mosquito-Associated Virus Isolation from Field-Collected Mosquitoes
Published on: August 31, 2022
A distinct CDV genotype causing a major epidemic in Alpine wildlife
Isabella Monne1, Alice Fusaro, Viviana Valastro
1Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università, 10, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
Veterinary Microbiology
|February 12, 2011
Summary
Canine distemper virus (CDV) poses a significant threat to wildlife. A new genetic cluster of CDV emerged in the Italian Alps, raising conservation concerns due to a mutation potentially increasing its host range.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Wildlife Disease Ecology
- Conservation Genetics
Background:
- Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a major threat to carnivore conservation.
- CDV outbreaks have caused significant population declines in wild mammals.
- A widespread CDV outbreak has affected the Alpine region of North-Eastern Italy since 2006.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary analysis of CDV in the Alpine wildlife epidemic.
- To understand the evolutionary dynamics of the CDV outbreak in the Italian Alps.
- To identify genetic characteristics of the circulating CDV strains.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of CDV isolates.
- Molecular evolutionary analysis of viral genomes.
- Identification of specific amino acid mutations.
Main Results:
- A single, widespread genetic cluster of CDV emerged during the Alpine epidemic.
- Identification of a specific amino acid mutation within the novel CDV cluster.
- The mutation is hypothesized to enhance viral replication across a broader host range.
Conclusions:
- The emergence and spread of this novel CDV cluster present a significant conservation challenge.
- The identified mutation may increase the virus's adaptability and impact on vulnerable wildlife populations.
- Continued monitoring and research are crucial for managing CDV threats to endangered species.
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