We're shooting at the right bug? Rethinking how to prioritize an infectious disease's threat to the health and conservation of wild carnivores, canine parvovirus and canine distemper as examples

Members of the order Carnivora are often identified as threatened by infectious agents. We propose that the wildlife managers need categorizes the importance of infectious diseases in wild carnivores based in scientific... [ view full abstract ]

Members of the order Carnivora are often identified as threatened by infectious agents. We propose that the wildlife managers need categorizes the importance of infectious diseases in wild carnivores based in scientific evidences to implementing prevention and control measures. With the aim of prove this need, in this study we used canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine distemper virus (CDV), and developed a systematic review to March of 2016 of peer review scientific literature in Pubmed, Scopus and Web of science. We established as valid standards for clinical diseases reports by CPV and CDV: Existence of clinical picture (clinical symptoms and/or histopathology) and direct detection with molecular characterization of the virus. We find 10 and 52 reports of wild carnivores in free or captive environments that accomplished with the mentioned standards to be qualified as diseases/deaths by CPV and CDV respectively. We found evidence of disease/death for CPV in Canids, Felids, Viverrids. Procionids and Mustelids; and for CDV in Canids, Felids, Viverrids. Procyonids, Mustelids, Hyaenids, Otarids, Ursids, Phocids, and Ailurids. We only find one report of CPV from wild/free ranging carnivores and 41 of CDV, and the rest are from captive environments. CPV single cases correspond to 60% of the cases and 25% for CDV. Despite the high proportion of literature that reports CPV as a threat for the health and conservation of wild carnivores, there exists few scientific evidence that supports this affirmation. We recommend the use of valid clinical or pathological standards or to create other similar reviews for prioritize the importance of pathogens for wild animal health.