Serological survey of parapoxvirus infection in wild ruminants in Japan in 1996–9

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 126; no. 1; pp. 153 - 156
• Main Authors: INOSHIMA, Y., YAMAMOTO, Y., TAKAHASHI, T., SHINO, M., KATSUMI, A., SHIMIZU, S., SENTSUI, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2001
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Agricultural production; Animal viral diseases; Animals; Animals, Wild; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Deer; Ecthyma; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Goats; Immunodiffusion - veterinary; Infections; Infectious diseases; Japan; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Parapoxvirus; Parapoxvirus - classification; Parapoxvirus - immunology; Parapoxvirus - isolation & purification; Poxviridae Infections - epidemiology; Poxviridae Infections - veterinary; Reindeer; Ruminants; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Sheep; Short Paper; Short Papers; Viral diseases; Virology; Viruses; Asia; Japan; Chordopoxvirinae; Prevalence; Still disease; Disease; Antibody; Enzyme; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Sex; Agar; Epidemiology; Cervus nippon; Virus; Infection; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Poxviridae; Serum; Artiodactyla; ELISA assay; Ungulata; Age; Parapoxvirus
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268801005131

The prevalence of parapoxvirus infection was examined in free-ranging wild ruminants in Japan, Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) and Japanese deer (Cervus nippon centralis), in 1996–9. We collected a total of 151 serum samples from 101 Japanese serows and 50 Japanese deer and tested for antibodies against parapoxvirus by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an agar gel immunodiffusion test. Overall seroprevalences among Japanese serows were 5/25 (20·0%) in 1996, 4/14 (28·6%) in 1997, 5/32 (15·6%) in 1998 and 2/30 (6·7%) in 1999, respectively. The seroprevalence increased with age but was not affected by sex. No antibodies were detected from any of 50 serum samples taken from Japanese deer. Our results in this study suggest that parapoxvirus infection is widespread among the population of Japanese serows, however, Japanese deer appear to be still free of the disease.