Antibodies to phocine distemper virus in Canadian seals
Ross, P.S.; Visser, I.K.; Broeders, H.W.; van de Bildt, M.W.; Bowen, W.D.; Osterhaus, A.D.
Veterinary Record 130(23): 514-516
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 1641969 Document Number: 393467
Antibodies to canine distemper virus (CDV) were found in blood samples collected in 1989 and 1991 from 6 of 14 harbour (Phoca vitulina) and 16 of 25 grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and 2 of 5 captive harbour seals; all the seals were apparently healthy. Three positive and one negative sample from harbour seals were further tested for antibody specificity in virus neutralization assays using 8 different morbilliviruses. Whereas the negative (control) serum did not neutralize any of the viruses, all 3 CDV-positive samples showed neutralizing activity to most or all of the morbilliviruses tested with consistently higher neutralizing titres against phocine distemper virus-1. It is suggested that the virus is currently enzootic in the harbour and, probably in grey seal populations of southeastern Canada. The lack of apparent disease and mortality in the Canadian seals and the role of PDV-1 in disease outbreaks in Europe are discussed.