Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine

Published by: American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

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Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 38(2):292-299. 2007
doi: 10.1638/1042-7260(2007)038[0292:SCEICE]2.0.CO;2

SYSTEMIC CALICIVIRUS EPIDEMIC IN CAPTIVE EXOTIC FELIDS

Tara M. HarrisonD.V.M., M.P.V.M., James SikarskieD.V.M., M.S., Dipl. A.C.Z.M., John KrugerD.V.M., Ph.D., Annabel WiseD.V.M., Ph.D., Thomas P. MullaneyD.V.M., Ph.D., Dipl. A.C.V.P., Matti KiupelD.V.M., Ph.D., Dipl. A.C.V.P., and Roger K. MaesD.V.M., Ph.D.

101From the Potter Park Zoo, 1301 South Pennsylvania, Lansing, Michigan 48912, USA (Harrison); Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA (Harrison, Kruger, Sikarskie); and the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, Michigan State University, 4125 Beaumont Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48910, USA (Kiupel, Maes, Mullaney, Wise). Correspondence should be directed to Dr. Harrison (tharriso@ci.lansing.mi.us)

Abstract

A 5-day-old, mother-raised, Amur tiger cub (Panthera tigris altaica) presented with tongue ulcerations. Identical lesions appeared and progressed to sloughing of the tongue in the three littermates of this cub the following day. The lesions progressed in all cubs to include sloughing of the carpal, tarsal, metacarpal, and metatarsal foot pad epithelium. Oral ulcerations were also noted in adult African lions (Panthera leo) and Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), but not in two adult snow leopards (Panthera uncia) housed in the same building. All adult cats had been previously vaccinated for common feline diseases including feline calicivirus (FCV). Detection of FCV RNA in oral secretions by a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (RRT-PCR) confirmed FCV infection in the tiger cubs and one lion. A male lion and a male tiger cub died during the disease outbreak. RRT-PCR confirmed FCV in multiple tissues in both of these animals. A stray cat live-trapped outside the feline building during the epidemic was found to be positive for FCV by virus isolation and was thought to be the source of infection.

Received: April 4, 2006

Keywords: African lion, Amur tiger, captive felid, feline calicivirus, systemic calicivirus



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Figure 1.Tongue from tiger cub that died on day 12 of a virulent systemic feline calicivirus infection. Note the necrosis and sloughed tissue from the distal tip of the tongue and the mucosal ulceration of the base of the tongue.

Figure 2.Paw from tiger cub that died on day 12 of a virulent systemic feline calicivirus infection. Ulcerations present on the carpal and metacarpal foot pads are indicated by arrows.

table

Table 1. Serum neutralization titers, day clinical signs were observed, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (RRT-PCR) results, and virus isolation results for feline calicivirus in exotic felids housed in feline house that experienced a calicivirus epidemic. Days are reported in relation to day 1, the first day that clinical signs were noted in the first case of the outbreak.

table

Table 1. Extended\[ep \[ep \[ep

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