First report of a canine morbillivirus infection in a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in Brazil

• Main Authors: Melissa Debesa Belizário Granjeiro, Mayara Lima Kavasaki, Thais O. Morgado, Lucas Avelino Dandolini Pavelegini, Marisol Alves de Barros, Carolina Fontana, Mateus deAssis Bianchini, Aneliza deOliveira Souza, Amanda R. Gonçalves Lima Oliveira Santos, Michele Lunardi, Edson M. Colodel, Daniel M. deAguiar, Adriane Jorge Mendonça
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2020-08-01
• Series: Veterinary Medicine and Science
• Subjects: canine distemper; infection; RT‐PCR; sequencing; wildlife
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.246

Abstract Canine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), induces a contagious multisystemic disease caused by an enveloped RNA virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae. CDV replicates readily in epithelial, nerve and lymphoid tissues; it is excreted in urine, feces, saliva, oral and nasal discharge; and its major route of entry for infection is through the respiratory system. Although the virus was originally believed to infect domestic dogs, new studies have shown that it can also naturally or experimentally infect non‐domestic hosts. A recent blood test performed on a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) found Lentz inclusions in the animal's leucocytes. A rapid CDV test, an RT‐PCR assay and pathology findings confirmed this report of canine morbillivirus in this species, which corresponds to the second report of CDV infection in the order Pilosa, family Myrmecophagidae in central west Brazil.