Molecular diagnosis with the corresponding clinical symptoms of canine distemper virus infection in javan leopard (Panthera pardus ssp. melas)

Diseases are one of the possible threats to the conservation of wild cat populations. One disease that has been reported to infect and cause death, including in various wildlife, is the canine distemper virus (CDV). Here, we report the first case of CDV in an adolescent melanistic Javan female leopard in Indonesia. We combined the clinical report with the Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analyses on the faecal and brain samples of partial nucleoprotein (CDV-N) and hemagglutinin (CDV-H) genes. We also performed analyses of urine, haematology, and blood chemistry. The CDV-H nucleotide sequence confirmed the CDV infection in the female leopard and was clustered to the CDV's Asia 1 genotype. This finding opens an investigating window to analyse the pathogen transmission between animals in wildlife, particularly to support the management of conservation in natural habitats in Indonesia.

Automated summary

This study reports the first case of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection in a melanistic Javan leopard in Indonesia. The analysis confirmed CDV infection in the female leopard, and the CDV-H nucleotide sequence belonged to CDV's Asia 1 genotype. This finding provides insights into pathogen transmission between wildlife animals and supports conservation management in natural habitats in Indonesia.