title: Feline panleukopaenia virus in captive non-domestic felids in South Africa.
abstract: An outbreak of feline panleukopaenia virus (FPLV) infection was diagnosed by pathology, electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vaccinated captive-bred subadult cheetahs in South Africa. Subsequent to this disease outbreak, 12 cases of FPLV diagnosed on histology were confirmed by PCR in captive African black-footed cat, caracal, cheetah, lion, ocelot and serval. Phylogenetic analyses of the viral capsid protein gene on PCR-positive samples, vaccine and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reference strains identified a previously unknown strain of FPLV, present since at least 2006, that differs from both the inactivated and the modified live vaccine strains. A previously described South African strain from domestic cats and cheetahs was identified in a serval. Surveys of FPLV strains in South African felids are needed to determine the geographical and host species distribution of this virus. Since non-domestic species may be reservoirs of parvoviruses, and since these viruses readily change host specificity, the risks of FPLV transmission between captive-bred and free-ranging carnivores and domestic cats and dogs warrant further research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Scientific Services, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa. emily@nzg.ac.za.
authors.forename: Emily P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brettschneider
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: Almero
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oosthuizen
authors.forename: Desiré L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Liza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: du Plessis
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steyl
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotze
mesh_terms: D002612:Acinonyx; D000818:Animals; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002415:Cats; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D045989:Felidae; D005254:Feline Panleukopenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D028301:Feline Panleukopenia Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins
keywords: feline panleukopaenia; parvovirus; felid; cheetah; vaccination.