Peper Steven T, Peper Randall L, Kollias George V, Brooks Robert P, Stevens Sadie S, Serfass Thomas L
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2014 Sep;45(3):520-6. doi: 10.1638/2013-0145R1.1.
Canine distemper virus (CDV), a contagious morbillivirus, infects families in the order Carnivora, including Nearctic river otters (Lontra canadensis). As a preventative measure, vaccinations against CDV are frequently given to mustelids in captive environments. The Pennsylvania River Otter Reintroduction Project (PRORP) used wild-caught river otters to evaluate the efficacy and need for vaccinations against CDV as part of any reintroduction project. The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate the prevalence of exposure to CDV in wild river otters, 2) determine the immunologic response of river otters (i.e., seroconversion) after vaccination with a single (primary) vaccine dose compared to a second (booster) dose of Galaxy-D, a modified live-virus canine distemper (CD) vaccine (MLV CDV), and 3) determine the immunologic response after being vaccinated with a primary vaccination compared to a booster dose of Fervac-D, an MLV CDV. River otters were injected subcutaneously in the nape of the neck with their designated vaccine. Timeframes for collection of blood samples and/or injection of booster vaccines varied depending on the parameters of PRORP. Ten of the 22 river otters had positive prevaccination titer levels to CD. Both vaccines, Galaxy-D and Fervac-D, produced sufficient seroconversion or rise of titer levels (86% and 57%, respectively) to recommend the use of vaccines in wild river otters. Future studies are recommended to evaluate currently produced CD vaccines. Future research should also focus on the number of days required between administration of primary and booster vaccines to achieve sufficient immune response. If only a primary dose is required, then hard-release reintroduction projects for river otters could be recommended. If primary and booster vaccines are required then soft-release reintroduction projects should be recommended. Soft-release projects should include captive management periods that allow for appropriate vaccination intervals and boosters needed to maximize the probability of protection against CDV.
犬瘟热病毒（CDV）是一种具有传染性的麻疹病毒，可感染食肉目动物，包括近北极水獭（加拿大水獭）。作为一种预防措施，圈养环境中的鼬科动物经常接种抗CDV疫苗。宾夕法尼亚水獭放归项目（PRORP）利用野生捕获的水獭来评估作为任何放归项目一部分的抗CDV疫苗接种的效果和必要性。本研究的目的是：1）评估野生水獭中CDV暴露的流行情况；2）比较单次（初次）疫苗剂量与第二次（加强）剂量的Galaxy-D（一种改良活病毒犬瘟热（CD）疫苗（MLV CDV））接种后水獭的免疫反应（即血清转化）；3）比较初次接种疫苗与加强剂量的Fervac-D（一种MLV CDV）接种后的免疫反应。水獭在颈部皮下注射指定的疫苗。采集血样和/或注射加强疫苗的时间框架因PRORP的参数而异。22只水獭中有10只在接种前对CD的滴度水平呈阳性。Galaxy-D和Fervac-D这两种疫苗都产生了足够的血清转化或滴度水平升高（分别为86%和57%），建议在野生水獭中使用疫苗。建议未来的研究评估当前生产的CD疫苗。未来的研究还应关注初次和加强疫苗接种之间达到足够免疫反应所需的天数。如果只需要初次剂量，那么可以推荐对水獭进行硬释放放归项目。如果需要初次和加强疫苗，那么应该推荐软释放放归项目。软释放项目应包括圈养管理期，以允许有适当的疫苗接种间隔和加强针，以最大限度地提高预防CDV的可能性。
