Abstract
A fatal Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection epidemic involving fifteen primates occurred between October 2006 and February 2007 at the Natura Viva Zoo. This large open-field zoo park located near Lake Garda in Northern Italy hosts one thousand animals belonging to one hundred and fifty different species, including various lemur species. This lemur collection is the most relevant and rich in Italy. A second outbreak between September and November 2008 involved three lemurs. In all cases, the clinical signs were sudden deaths generally without any evident symptoms or only with mild unspecific clinical signs. Gross pathologic changes were characterized by myocarditis (diffuse or focal pallor of the myocardium), pulmonary congestion, emphysema, oedema and thoracic fluid. The EMCV was isolated and recognized as the causative agent of both outbreaks. The first outbreak in particular was associated with a rodent plague, confirming that rats are an important risk factor for the occurrence of the EMCV infection.
Highlights
Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is a single stranded Cardiovirus belonging to the Picornaviridae family
EMCV could be a potential issue for other zoological park animals as it may involve several other species
EMCV should always be included in differential diagnosis when sudden death of primates without obvious symptoms occurs, in particular when there is myocarditis at necropsy
Summary
Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is a single stranded Cardiovirus belonging to the Picornaviridae family. Lemur catta m 4-11-06 Sudden death Sero-haemorrhagic thoracic fluid, pulmonary oedema, catharral enteritis, Pos pericardic haemorrhages, cardiomegaly, whitish necrotic foci, pulmonary emphysema, ascites, abdominal organs congestion, mild liver hyperaemia, meningeal congestion. Varecia f 21-01-07 Sudden death Thoracic fluid, evident pulmonary oedema, cardiomegaly and grey-white necrotic foci of the myocardium rubra. Varecia f 06-11-08 Sudden death Pulmonary oedema and grey-white necrotic foci of the myocardium pos variegata rubra °n.r. Some previously collected by zoo veterinarians for routinely laboratory investigations and others from different lemurs survived to the outbreaks, were tested for EMCV antibodies using a competitive ELISA [7] These sera were collected from nine different animals: before the outbreaks on 28/01/06 (n° 1 serum) and 15/02/06 (n° 1); after the first outbreak on 18/02/2008 (n° 1), 08/2008 (n° 2) and 30/10/2008 (n° 1) and after the second outbreak on 01/2009 (n° 2) and 15/02/2009 (n° 1). Liver, spleen, heart, intestine and urine were tested separately using cell cultures (VERO and BHK21)
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