Canine distemper: A fatal disease seeking special intervention

Abstract

Canine distemper (CD) is acute and highly infectious viral disease. It is caused by single-stranded RNA virus with a lipoprotein envelope, is a Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. Its fatality rate is second only to that of rabies affect carnivores and domestic dogs of any breed and age. CD virus can infect a wide range of carnivore’s including members of the Canidae, Felidae, Hyaenidae, Mustelidae, Procyonidae, Ursidae, and Viverridae. The lethal infections also have been reported in non-human primates and non-carnivore species demonstrating the remarkable ability of CD pathogen to cross species barriers. The transmission is through aerosol of respiratory exudates containing virus, although other body excretions and secretions can result in infection in susceptible hosts. There is no curative treatment for CD infection. The treatment is mostly supportive and for secondary complication and prevented by vaccination. The CD virus had broad and expanding host range and sustained within wildlife reservoir hosts considerably hampers disease eradication. Animal health care professional including those working with nondomestic carnivores, should be familiar with the transmission, clinical signs, diagnosis, and clinical management of this disease. Awareness about CD diseases should be created and vaccination should be advocated among the people.