Background
Canine distemper is caused by infection with the Canine morbillivirus. Distemper is a highly contagious pathogen that can be readily transmitted in contaminated aerosols through sneezing and coughing. The virus can also be transmitted through contaminated food, water, dishes or other equipment. Transmission from infected females to developing offspring during pregnancy is also possible. In North America the virus causes disease in domestic and wild dog species, coyotes, foxes, wolves, ferrets, skunks, raccoons, species of large wild cats, and pinnipeds. Domestic cats can also contract the virus, however, infection appears to be mostly asymptomatic. There is no cure for canine distemper and the disease has a 50% mortality rate in infected individuals and the disease tends to infect young of the year wildlife that lack immunity. Distemper also tends to occur in outbreaks or epidemics causing short term population declines but do not appear to effect populations in the long term. Wild carnivores are particularly susceptible to canine distemper and it can have a devastating impact on species at risk.
WHAT THE CWHC IS DOING
The CWHC conducts scanning surveillance for canine distemper across Canada. Although the virus potentially exists in natural populations across Canada, the majority of wildlife cases that have tested positive by the CWHC are from Ontario and Quebec. Current research also suggests that co-infections with rabies and distemper commonly occur in wildlife. The reason for this and any links between these infections is, however, not yet understood. Surveillance efforts are, therefore, important not only to informing instances and regions of outbreaks but is also vital to our understanding of co-infections of rabies and distemper.
