Fatal canine distemper virus infection of giant pandas in China.
We report an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection among endangered giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Five of six CDV infected giant pandas died. The surviving giant panda was previously vaccinated against CDV. Genomic sequencing of CDV isolated from one of the infected pandas (giant panda/SX/2014) suggests it belongs to the Asia-1 cluster. The hemagglutinin protein of the isolated virus and virus sequenced from lung samples originating from deceased giant pandas all possessed the substitutions V26M, T213A, K281R, S300N, P340Q, and Y549H. The presence of the Y549H substitution is notable as it is found at the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) receptor-binding site and has been implicated in the emergence of highly pathogenic CDV and host switching. These findings demonstrate that giant pandas are susceptible to CDV and suggest that surveillance and vaccination among all captive giant pandas are warranted to support conservation efforts for this endangered species.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China.|Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.
Na
N
Feng
Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.
Yicong
Y
Yu
Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.
Tiecheng
T
Wang
Department of Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin, 54601, USA.
Peter
P
Wilker
Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|College of Animal Science, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, 453003, People's Republic of China.
Jianzhong
J
Wang
Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.
Yuanguo
Y
Li
National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang, 471000, People's Republic of China.
Zhe
Z
Sun
Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
Yuwei
Y
Gao
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China.|Military Veterinary Research Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130122, People's Republic of China.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
Xianzhu
X
Xia
D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004216:Distemper / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000235:genetics; D000071176:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family / Q000235:genetics; D001503:Ursidae / Q000821:virology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods
D006388:Hemagglutinins; D000071176:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family