title: Low Titers of Canine Distemper Virus Antibody in Wild Fishers (Martes pennanti) in the Eastern USA.
abstract: Canine distemper virus (CDV) infects species in the order Carnivora. Members of the family Mustelidae are among the species most susceptible to CDV and have a high mortality rate after infection. Assessing an animal's pathogen or disease load prior to any reintroduction project is important to help protect the animal being reintroduced, as well as the wildlife and livestock in the area of relocation. We screened 58 fishers for CDV antibody prior to their release into Pennsylvania, US, as part of a reintroduction program. Five of the 58 (9%) fishers had a weak-positive reaction for CDV antibody at a dilution of 1:16. None of the fishers exhibited any clinical sign of canine distemper while being held prior to release.
authors.affiliation: 1  Frostburg State University, Department of Biology and Natural Resources, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, Maryland 21532, USA.
authors.forename: Steven T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Peper
authors.affiliation: 2  Indiana University, 819 N Forrest, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.
authors.forename: Randall L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Peper
authors.affiliation: 3  Pennsylvania State University, 302 Walker Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Denise H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Mitcheltree
authors.affiliation: 4  Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Rm 105 CCGR, Box 21, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: George V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Kollias
authors.affiliation: 3  Pennsylvania State University, 302 Walker Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: 1  Frostburg State University, Department of Biology and Natural Resources, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, Maryland 21532, USA.
authors.forename: Sadie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: 1  Frostburg State University, Department of Biology and Natural Resources, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, Maryland 21532, USA.|5  Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, 1213 HJ Patterson Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Serfass
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004216:Distemper / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D045969:Mustelidae; D009513:New Hampshire / Q000453:epidemiology; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Morbillivirus; Pennsylvania; reintroduction projects; serum neutralization