A Canine Distemper Virus Epidemic in Serengeti Lions (Panthera leo)

Authors

• Melody E. Roelke-Parker, Tanzania National Parks; Messerli Foundation - Zurich
• Linda Munson, University of Tennessee - Knoxville; Veterinary Investigation Center - Arusha, Tanzania
• Craig Packer, Tanzania National Parks; University of Minnesota - St. Paul
• Richard Kock, Kenya Wildlife Service
• Sarah Cleaveland, Tanzania National Parks; Kenya Wildlife Service; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Margaret A. Carpenter, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
• Stephen J. O'Brien, National Cancer Institute at FrederickFollow
• Andreas Pospischil, University of Zurich
• Regina Hofmann-Lehmann, University of Zurich
• Hans Lutz, University of Zurich
• George L. M. Mwamengele, Sokoine University of Agriculture - Morogoro, Tanzania
• M. N. Mgasa, Sokoine University of Agriculture - Morogoro, Tanzania
• G. A. Machange, Veterinary Investigation Center - Arusha, Tanzania
• Brian A. Summers, Cornell University
• Max J. G. Appel, Cornell University

ORCID

0000-0001-7353-8301

ResearcherID

N-1726-2015

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

2-1-1996

Abstract

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is thought to have caused several fatal epidemics in canids within the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem of East Africa, affecting silver-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) in 1978 and African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in 1991. The large, closely monitored Serengeti lion population was not affected in these epidemics. However, an epidemic caused by a morbillivirus closely related to CDV emerged abruptly in the lion population of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, in early 1994, resulting in fatal neurological disease characterized by grand mal seizures and myoclonus; the lions that died had encephalitis and pneumonia. Here we report the identification of CDV from these lions, and the close phylogenetic relationship between CDV isolates from lions and domestic dogs. By August 1994, 85% of the Serengeti lion population had anti-CDV antibodies, and the epidemic spread north to lions in the Maasai Mara National reserve, Kenya, and uncounted hyaenas, bat-eared foxes, and leopards were also affected.

Volume

379

Issue

6564

First Page

441

Last Page

445

Comments

©1996 Nature Publishing Group

NSUWorks Citation

Roelke-Parker, Melody E.; Linda Munson; Craig Packer; Richard Kock; Sarah Cleaveland; Margaret A. Carpenter; Stephen J. O'Brien; Andreas Pospischil; Regina Hofmann-Lehmann; Hans Lutz; George L. M. Mwamengele; M. N. Mgasa; G. A. Machange; Brian A. Summers; and Max J. G. Appel. 1996. "A Canine Distemper Virus Epidemic in Serengeti Lions (Panthera leo)." Nature 379, (6564): 441-445. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cnso_bio_facarticles/710