title: Emergence of canine distemper in Bavarian wildlife associated with a specific amino acid exchange in the haemagglutinin protein.
abstract: A widespread, severe outbreak of canine distemper encephalitis was observed in wildlife in Southern Bavaria in the spring and summer of 2008. The haemagglutinin (HA) genes of six representative canine distemper virus (CDV) samples originating from five red foxes and one badger during this outbreak had a Y549H amino acid substitution in the HA protein compared to sequences from two captive domesticated ferrets which succumbed to CDV in the same area 2 years earlier. As this specific substitution at the receptor-binding site has been hypothesised to contribute to the emergence of CDV and its spread to novel hosts, the outbreak in wildlife in Southern Bavaria might, directly or indirectly, be associated with a Y549H amino acid exchange.
authors.affiliation: Zoonoses and Emerging Infections Group, Clinical Virology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sekulin
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hafner-Marx
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kolodziejek
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janik
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nowotny
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D004216:Distemper / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D045969:Mustelidae / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D006388:Hemagglutinins