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1 July 2006 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PATHOGEN SEROPREVALENCE AND INFECTION IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN COUGARS
Roman Biek, Toni K. Ruth, Kerry M. Murphy, Charles R. Anderson, Mark Johnson, Richard DeSimone, Rachel Gray, Maurice G. Hornocker, Colin M. Gillin, Mary Poss
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Abstract

Serological and genetic material collected over 15 years (1990–2004) from 207 cougars (Puma concolor) in four populations in the Rocky Mountains were examined for evidence of current or prior exposure to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline parvovirus (FPV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), feline calicivirus (FCV), canine distemper virus (CDV), feline herpesvirus (FHV), and Yersinia pestis. Serologic data were analyzed for annual variation in seroconversions to assess whether these pathogens are epidemic or endemic in cougars, and to determine whether family membership, age, sex, or location influence risk of exposure. FIV and FPV were clearly endemic in the studied populations, whereas exposure to FCoV, FCV, CDV, and Y. pestis was more sporadic. No evidence was found for FHV. Age was the most consistent predictor of increased exposure risk, often with no other important factors emerging. Evidence for transmission within family groups was limited to FIV and FCoV, whereas some indication for host sex affecting exposure probability was found for FIV and Y. pestis. Overall, cougar populations exhibited few differences in terms of pathogen presence and prevalence, suggesting the presence of similar risk factors throughout the study region.

Roman Biek, Toni K. Ruth, Kerry M. Murphy, Charles R. Anderson, Mark Johnson, Richard DeSimone, Rachel Gray, Maurice G. Hornocker, Colin M. Gillin, and Mary Poss "FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PATHOGEN SEROPREVALENCE AND INFECTION IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN COUGARS," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 42(3), 606-615, (1 July 2006). https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-42.3.606
Received: 14 July 2005; Published: 1 July 2006
KEYWORDS
canine distemper virus
feline calicivirus
feline coronavirus
feline herpesvirus
feline immunodeficiency virus
feline parvovirus
feline pathogens
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