Serosurvey for antibodies to malignant catarrhal fever-associated viruses in free-living and captive cervids in Germany.
A total of 486 serum samples collected from several species of both free-living and captive cervids in Germany was examined for antibodies against malignant catarrhal fever (MCF)-associated viruses (MCFV) by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA). Eleven (2%) of these samples were positive for antibodies against MCFV. Among 157 serum samples collected from 16 different species of captive deer including four (7%) of 54 fallow deer and one (7%) of 14 sika deer (Cervus nippon) were seropositive. Among 329 samples from three species of free-ranging deer, including 253 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 22 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 54 fallow deer (Cervus dama), only fallow deer were antibody-positive. Of the 25 fallow deer samples collected between 1990 and 1993, four (16%) were seropositive. Among 29 free-ranging fallow deer samples collected in the hunting period 1996-1997, antibodies to MCFV were detected in two (7%) of these sera. All of these fallow deer samples were collected from a circumscribed area in northern Germany. In the same area a high seroprevalence (72%) to MCFV was observed in domestic sheep (n = 50). Among 20 sheep samples (buffy coat) and 15 fallow deer samples (spleen or lymph nodes) examined for ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) by PCR, all 20 sheep samples examined were OvHV-2 positive, but all of the 15 fallow deer samples, including seven seropositive deer, were OvHV-2 negative.
Frölich
K
K
Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research Berlin, Germany. Froelich@izw-berlin.de
Li
H
H
Müller-Doblies
U
U
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003670:Deer; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D008304:Malignant Catarrh / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral