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The Seal Death in Danish Waters 1988. 2. Virological Studies

Sældøden i danske farvande 1988. 2. Virologiske undersøgelser

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 32, pages 211–219 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

Mass abortions and high mortality were observed in harbour seals in Danish waters during 1988. Severe pneumonia and emphysema were typical clinical and post-mortem findings. Virological studies were carried out to identify the cause of the epidemic. Although seal herpesvirus (SeHV) was isolated in 23 of 114 animals this virus was subsequently found not to be the primary cause of the disease. Following the observation of seroconversion against canine distemper virus (CDV) in diseased seals (Osterhaus & Vedder 1988) a CDV-like morbillivirus (phocine distemper virus, PDV) was identified in organs of diseased animals. It is concluded that the epidemic was caused by introduction of PDV into a highly susceptible population presumably free from morbillivirus infection. The origin of PDV remains unknown but evidence of prior morbillivirus infection has been found in arctic and antarctic seal populations.

Sammendrag

Der blev i 1988 observeret et stort antal aborter og massedødsfald blandt spættede sæler i danske farvande. De kliniske og patologiske undersøgelser viste primært bronchopneumoni og interstitielt emfysem. Der gennemførtes virologiske undersøgelser med henblik på klarlæggelse af årsagen til epidemien. Der påvistes et herpesvirus i 23 af 114 sæler, men retrospektive serologiske undersøgelser tydede på, at dette virus ikke var primær årsag til epidemien. Efter påvisning af serokonversion mod hundesygevirus blev der identificeret et hundesygevirus lignende morbillivirus (phocint distemper virus; PDV) i organer af døde sæler. Det konkluderes, at epidemien skyldtes introduktion af PDV i en højt modtagelig sælpopulation. Oprindelsen af dette virus er ukendt, men der er fundet tegn på PDV infektion i arktiske og antarktiske sælpopulationer.

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  1. State Veterinary Institute for Virus Research, DK-4771, Lindholm, Kalvehave, Denmark

    P. Have, J. Nielsen & A. Bøtner

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  1. P. Have
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  2. J. Nielsen
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Have, P., Nielsen, J. & Bøtner, A. The Seal Death in Danish Waters 1988. 2. Virological Studies. Acta Vet Scand 32, 211–219 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546983

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147