J.D.W Philippa, Institute of Virology, Erasmus MC, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Morbillivirus infections are recognised as a world-wide problem affecting terrestrial and aquatic carnivores. Interspecies transmission of canine distemper virus (CDV) has resulted in disease with high mortality in Baikal seals, Phoca siberica, and Caspian seals, Phoca caspica. Other morbillivirus infections have been responsible for a number of epizootics among populations of marine mammals. To study the epidemiology of morbillivirus infections in Canadian wildlife, various species sampled from 1984 to 2000 at different locations in Canada were examined serologically. Whole blood samples from 756 ringed seals, Phoca hispica, 507 belugas, Delphinapterus leucas, and 192 Narwhal, Monodon monoceros were tested for the presence of specific antibodies to CDV by means of an indirect ELISA. Sera from 102 walruses, Odobenus rosmanus, 60 polar bears, Ursus maritimus, and 36 grizzly bears, Ursus arctos, were tested for the presence of antibody titres to CDV, dolphin morbillivirus and phocine distemper virus using a virus neutralization assay. The results show recurrent epizootics of CDV infection in ringed seals with a westward expansion into Hudson Bay. Narwhal and belugas had no antibody to morbillivirus. Antibodies against all three morbilliviruses were present in the terrestrial carnivores and walruses, suggesting infection by CDV, as well as PDV- and DMV- like viruses.
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