Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>)
Canine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), is the causative agent of canine distemper (CD), which is a serious contagious disease of canines, large felids, and, occasionally, raccoons. This study included seven raccoons from the Timisoara Zoological Garden, Romania. CDV was de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/7/1536 |
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| author | Adrian Constantin Stancu Octavian Sorin Voia Oana Maria Boldura Sorin Aurelian Pasca Iasmina Luca Anca Sofiana Hulea Oana Roxana Ivan Alina Andreea Dragoescu Bianca Cornelia Lungu Ioan Hutu |
| author_facet | Adrian Constantin Stancu Octavian Sorin Voia Oana Maria Boldura Sorin Aurelian Pasca Iasmina Luca Anca Sofiana Hulea Oana Roxana Ivan Alina Andreea Dragoescu Bianca Cornelia Lungu Ioan Hutu |
| author_sort | Adrian Constantin Stancu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Canine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), is the causative agent of canine distemper (CD), which is a serious contagious disease of canines, large felids, and, occasionally, raccoons. This study included seven raccoons from the Timisoara Zoological Garden, Romania. CDV was detected using RT-qPCR on blood samples, but several other exams were also performed—clinical, bacteriological, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology, toxicological screening, and necropsy—which confirmed CDV infection. Severe digestive disorders (diarrhea and frequent hematemesis) were observed. The necropsy findings included pseudo membranous gastroenteritis, congestion, and pulmonary edema in two raccoons. Immunohistochemistry showed immunolabeled CDV antigenantibodies on the viral nucleocapsid. Histopathology revealed lymphocyte depletion in mesenteric lymphnodes and intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions in the enterocytes of the small intestine. Based on the RT-qPCR assay, laboratory tests, and the lesions observed, it was established that the raccoons were infected with CDV, which was the cause of death in two cases. The results from the necropsy, histology, and immunohistochemistry in the raccoons are comparable with reported CDV lesions in dogs. In conclusion, several exams may be performed to establish the etiology of possible interspecific viral infection, but only very specific exams can identify aCDV infection. Laboratory analyses must be completed by RT-qPCR assay or IHC to establish infection with uncommon viruses in raccoons with high accuracy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:34:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cdd8f73eed8e4bd696a7949cca71cd11 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:34:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-cdd8f73eed8e4bd696a7949cca71cd112023-11-18T21:45:05ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152023-07-01157153610.3390/v15071536Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>)Adrian Constantin Stancu0Octavian Sorin Voia1Oana Maria Boldura2Sorin Aurelian Pasca3Iasmina Luca4Anca Sofiana Hulea5Oana Roxana Ivan6Alina Andreea Dragoescu7Bianca Cornelia Lungu8Ioan Hutu9Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Animal Resources Bioengineering, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, 700506 Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Letters, West University, 300223 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I”, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaCanine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), is the causative agent of canine distemper (CD), which is a serious contagious disease of canines, large felids, and, occasionally, raccoons. This study included seven raccoons from the Timisoara Zoological Garden, Romania. CDV was detected using RT-qPCR on blood samples, but several other exams were also performed—clinical, bacteriological, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology, toxicological screening, and necropsy—which confirmed CDV infection. Severe digestive disorders (diarrhea and frequent hematemesis) were observed. The necropsy findings included pseudo membranous gastroenteritis, congestion, and pulmonary edema in two raccoons. Immunohistochemistry showed immunolabeled CDV antigenantibodies on the viral nucleocapsid. Histopathology revealed lymphocyte depletion in mesenteric lymphnodes and intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions in the enterocytes of the small intestine. Based on the RT-qPCR assay, laboratory tests, and the lesions observed, it was established that the raccoons were infected with CDV, which was the cause of death in two cases. The results from the necropsy, histology, and immunohistochemistry in the raccoons are comparable with reported CDV lesions in dogs. In conclusion, several exams may be performed to establish the etiology of possible interspecific viral infection, but only very specific exams can identify aCDV infection. Laboratory analyses must be completed by RT-qPCR assay or IHC to establish infection with uncommon viruses in raccoons with high accuracy.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/7/1536raccoonscanine distemper<i>Canine morbillivirus</i>RT-qPCR detectionimmunohistochemistryhistopathology |
| spellingShingle | Adrian Constantin Stancu Octavian Sorin Voia Oana Maria Boldura Sorin Aurelian Pasca Iasmina Luca Anca Sofiana Hulea Oana Roxana Ivan Alina Andreea Dragoescu Bianca Cornelia Lungu Ioan Hutu Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) Viruses raccoons canine distemper <i>Canine morbillivirus</i> RT-qPCR detection immunohistochemistry histopathology |
| title | Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) |
| title_full | Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) |
| title_fullStr | Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) |
| title_short | Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) |
| title_sort | unusual canine distemper virus infection in captive raccoons i procyon lotor i |
| topic | raccoons canine distemper <i>Canine morbillivirus</i> RT-qPCR detection immunohistochemistry histopathology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/7/1536 |
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