Canine Distemper – Review of Literature

Abstract

Canine distemper is a highly very contagious and multissitemic viral disease, very important for the dog population in all over the world. In Brazil, many dogs die each year and in other countries this disease is considered a constant threat. Canine distemper has been implicated as the cause of several declines in carnivore populations and also can affect some economic parameters related to the susceptible farmed fur animals. For its high relevancy and incidence in animals, domestic or wildlife, this paper reviews the historic, risk groups, infection sources, vaccines failures, Brazilian epidemiological data, diagnostic methods and the link between canine distemper and human diseases. Because canine distemper has become an emerging disease, and the knowledge about it is necessary for the improvement in the prevention and control of the disease.