Pathogenesis of two strains of lion (Panthera leo) morbillivirus in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

J F Evermann; C W Leathers; J R Gorham; A J McKeirnan; M J Appel

doi:10.1354/vp.38-3-311

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Pathogenesis of two strains of lion (Panthera leo) morbillivirus in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Pathogenesis of two strains of lion (Panthera leo) morbillivirus in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

J F Evermann, C W Leathers, J R Gorham, A J McKeirnan and M J Appel

Veterinary pathology, Vol.38(3), pp.311-316

05/2001

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1354/vp.38-3-311

Handle:

https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103513

PMID: 11355661

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Abstract

Viral Vaccines - standards

Fluorescent Antibody Technique - veterinary

Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral

Male

Histocytochemistry - veterinary

Morbillivirus - immunology

Vaccination - veterinary

Morbillivirus - classification

Distemper Virus, Canine - pathogenicity

Viremia - veterinary

Ferrets - virology

Lions - virology

Ferrets - immunology

Animals

Morbillivirus - pathogenicity

Morbillivirus Infections - pathology

Morbillivirus Infections - veterinary

Morbillivirus Infections - immunology

Viral Vaccines - immunology

Canine distemper virus (CDV) was previously considered to have a host range restricted to the canid family. In 1994, the virus was associated with sporadic outbreaks of distemper in captive felids. However, after severe mortality occurred in the Serengeti lions (Panthera leo), attention became focused on the pathogenesis of the virus and a concerted effort was made to identify the virus as CDV or a closely related feline morbillivirus. The present study was designed to explore the susceptibility of ferrets to challenge with two morbilliviruses isolated from lions and the protective effects of a modified-live mink distemper vaccine. Because mortality in ferrets infected with pathogenic CDV approaches 100%, the ferret was selected as a test animal. Two strains of lion morbillivirus were used as a challenge, A92-27/20 (California lion isolate) and A94-11/13 (Serengeti lion isolate). The two strains of lion morbillivirus were antigenically related to CDV (Rockborn strain), and ferrets were susceptible to both of the viruses when inoculated intraperitoneally. The inoculated ferrets were anorectic at 5-6 days postinoculation (PI), exhibited oculonasal discharge at 9-12 days PI, and became moribund at 12-22 days PI. Severe bilateral conjunctivitis was the typical clinical sign. Inclusion bodies characteristic of morbillivirus (eosinophilic, intranuclear, and intracytoplasmic) were distributed in many epithelial cells, including those of the skin, conjunctiva, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, trachea, lung, urinary bladder, and kidney. Virus was reisolated from selected lung tissues collected at necropsy and identified by CDV-specific immunofluorescence. Ferrets vaccinated with the mink distemper vaccine (Onderstepoort strain) were protected from challenge with the two lion strains, adding further support to the premise that the viruses are closely related to CDV.

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Title: Pathogenesis of two strains of lion (Panthera leo) morbillivirus in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)
Creators: J F Evermann - Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman 99165-0734, USA. jfe@vetmed.wsu.edu
C W Leathers
J R Gorham
A J McKeirnan
M J Appel
Publication Details: Veterinary pathology, Vol.38(3), pp.311-316
Academic Unit: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Department of
Publisher: United States
Identifiers: 99900546535301842
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article