title: Foot-and-mouth disease in Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus).
abstract: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious, debilitating, and globally significant viral disease typically affecting cloven-hoofed hosts. The diagnosis of FMD in bears in Vietnam is described. The current study describes a confirmed case of FMD in a bear species, and the clinical signs compatible with FMD in a Malayan sun bear. Thirteen Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) and 1 Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) were apparently affected. In August 2011, an adult bear became lethargic, and developed footpad vesicles. Over 15 days, 14 out of 17 bears developed similar signs; the remaining 3 co-housed bears and another 57 resident bears did not. All affected bears developed vesicles on all footpads, and most were lethargic for 24-48 hr. Nasal and oral lesions were noted in 6 and 3 cases, respectively. Within 1 month, all looked normal. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, classified as serotype O, and isolated by virus isolation techniques. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated clustering of 3 bear isolates, in a branch distinct from other FMDV type O isolates. The outbreak likely occurred due to indirect contact with livestock, and was facilitated by the high density of captive bears. It showed that Asiatic black bears are capable of contracting FMDV and developing clinical disease, and that the virus spreads easily between bears in close contact.
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos) kirsty.officer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Officer
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wicker
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Hoa
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weegenaar
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Yamaguchi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ryoji
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, Animals Asia Foundation, Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Officer, Weegenaar)Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hoa)PREDICT Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Wicker)Animals Asia Foundation, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (Robinson)Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Miyazaki, Japan (Ryoji)Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessalonica, Greece (Loukopoulos)California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Loukopoulos).
authors.forename: Panayiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loukopoulos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D029544:Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020081:Phyllachorales; D010802:Phylogeny; D001503:Ursidae; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Asiatic black bears; Malayan sun bears; foot-and-mouth disease; outbreak; viral disease