Inaugural Conference - June 2002

M.W.G. van de Bildt^1,2, T. Kuiken^1,2, A.M. Visee³, S. Lema⁴, A.R. Fitzjohn⁴, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus^1,2

1. Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Hoofdstraat 94a, 9968 AG Pieterburen, The Netherlands
2. Institute of Virology, Erasmus MC, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
3. The African Wild Dog Foundation, Schiedamseweg 119, 3121 JG Schiedam, The Netherlands
4. Wildlife Preservation Trust Fund, P.O. Box 376, Same, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

In December 2000, an infectious disease spread through a captive breeding group of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Tanzania, killing 49 of 52 animals within two months. The causative agent was identified as canine distemper virus (CDV) by means of histological examination, virus isolation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and nucleotide sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of the CDV strain involved revealed a close resemblance to isolates found in wild and domestic carnivores in East Africa in the 1990s. Our study demonstrates the importance of adequate protection against infectious diseases for the successful outcome of captive breeding programs of endangered species.

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