DISTEMPER VIRUS AND TIGERS.

Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, Cornell and the University of Glasgow , from their research noted that tigers, lions and other wild carnivores, already under threat from poaching and habitat loss, are falling victim to Canine distemper, and could soon drive endangered populations to extinction. Canine distemper virus strikes wild carnivores of all stripes, including Amur tigers, -- also called Siberian tigers -- which roam the Russian Far East in ever-dwindling numbers.The team is urging a swift action to address the crisis by developing control measures for the virus, such as delivering a vaccine that is safe for these animals. They also suggest renaming canine distemper virus to reflect the wide range of animals that can carry the virus and suffer from the disease. These small endangered populations of carnivores face a lot of threats, but distemper can be the major factor that determines their survival. Studies show that in many cases, wild carnivores are not contracting the distemper virus directly from domestic dogs, but they are getting it from other wild animals that act as intermediaries. This makes controlling the virus exceedingly difficult, and efforts to vaccinate dogs or other wild carnivores may not offer protection for tigers or other large cats. The current distemper vaccines haven't been thoroughly tested in the wild species that need protection. While many vaccines appear to be safe, some may not be effective in generating long-lived immune defenses, The group discussed ways to test the safety and efficacy of distemper vaccines in captive animals as well as developing innovative means of immunizing wild animals with oral or aerosol formulations planted in bait or on marking posts. Renaming the canine distemper virus may be a right step , in part because the name is not a good reflection of its host range among carnivores. The virus can affect seals, tigers, bears and more. The term "canine" can lead to management efforts that place too much emphasis on controlling the infection in dogs, when other wild animals carry the virus to infect other species. materials from Cornell university.