title: Serosurvey of selected viruses in captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China.
abstract: Serum samples from 92 giant pandas in three captive facilities were tested for antibodies against five viruses of carnivores. Antibody titers against canine distemper virus (CDV) in two facilities in which giant pandas were vaccinated were variable. The canine adenovirus (CAV-1) and canine parvovirus (CPV) titers in vaccinated group were both positive, but titers were not high and varied among individual except one vaccinated panda had extremely high CAV-1 titer, indicating infection with the field virus following vaccination. Our results suggest that the vaccines used for these giant pandas do not elicit consistent antibody titers. Antibody titers against CDV, CPV and CAV-1 in unvaccinated giant pandas were highly variable, especially CPV titer. Almost half of sera were CPV antibody positive, and CPV titers were high enough to suggest infection with the virus. Canine coronavirus (CCV) and canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV) titers were not detected in all serum samples. The results of this study emphasize the need for research on infectious diseases of giant pandas and development of suitable vaccines for the species.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datunlu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Desheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hemin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Zhihe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chenglin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jinguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fuwen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006516:Adenoviruses, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000821:virology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China; D004216:Distemper / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D017993:Parvovirus, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D001503:Ursidae / Q000821:virology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines