TY - JOUR
T1 - New world origin of canine distemper
T2 - Interdisciplinary insights
AU - Uhl, Elizabeth W.
AU - Kelderhouse, Charles
AU - Buikstra, Jane
AU - Blick, Jeffrey P.
AU - Bolon, Brad
AU - Hogan, Robert J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was part of a project sponsored by the Department of Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA1-13-1-0027). The content of the information does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the federal government, and no official endorsement should be inferred. The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.
Funding Information:
We are grateful to Lefty and Eve Gregory of the Virginia Foundation for Archaeological Research, Inc., Spring Grove, VA for long-term access to the canine skeletal collection from Weyanoke Old Town, Virginia. AMS radiocarbon dating was funded by a Faculty Research Award to JPB from Georgia College and State University and by EWU from the Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia (UGA) . AMS dating was performed by Dr. Doug Dvoracek at UGA’s Center for Applied Isotope Studies (CAIS). We also thank Dr. Paula Krimer, University of Georgia for her assistance with the statistical analysis.
PY - 2019/3
Y1 - 2019/3
N2 - Objective: Canine distemper virus (CDV), human measles virus (HMV), and rinderpest virus (RPV) of cattle are morbilliviruses that have caused devastating outbreaks for centuries. This paper seeks to reconstruct the evolutionary history of CDV. Materials and methods: An interdisciplinary approach is adopted, synthesizing paleopathological analysis of 96 Pre-Columbian dogs (750–1470 CE) from the Weyanoke Old Town, Virginia site, with historical reports, molecular analysis and morbilliviral epidemiology. Results: Both measles (c.900CE) and rinderpest (c. 376 BCE) were first reported in Eurasia, while canine distemper was initially described in South America much later (1735 CE); there are no paleopathological indications of CDV in Weyanoke Old Town dogs. Molecularly, CDV is closely related to HMV, while viral codon usage indicates CDV may have previously infected humans; South American measles epidemics occurred prior to the emergence of canine distemper and would have facilitated HMV transmission and adaptation to dogs. Conclusions: The measles epidemics that decimated indigenous South American populations in the 1500–1700 s likely facilitated the establishment of CDV as a canine pathogen, which eventually spread to Europe and beyond. Significance: Understanding the historical and environmental conditions that have driven morbilliviral evolution provides important insights into potential future threats of animal/human cross-species infections. Limitations: Interpreting historical disease descriptions is difficult and the archaeological specimens are limited. Molecular sequence data and codon usage analyses rely on modern viruses. Suggestions for further research: Interdisciplinary approaches are increasingly needed to understand diseases of the past and present, as critical information and knowledge is scattered in different disciplines.
AB - Objective: Canine distemper virus (CDV), human measles virus (HMV), and rinderpest virus (RPV) of cattle are morbilliviruses that have caused devastating outbreaks for centuries. This paper seeks to reconstruct the evolutionary history of CDV. Materials and methods: An interdisciplinary approach is adopted, synthesizing paleopathological analysis of 96 Pre-Columbian dogs (750–1470 CE) from the Weyanoke Old Town, Virginia site, with historical reports, molecular analysis and morbilliviral epidemiology. Results: Both measles (c.900CE) and rinderpest (c. 376 BCE) were first reported in Eurasia, while canine distemper was initially described in South America much later (1735 CE); there are no paleopathological indications of CDV in Weyanoke Old Town dogs. Molecularly, CDV is closely related to HMV, while viral codon usage indicates CDV may have previously infected humans; South American measles epidemics occurred prior to the emergence of canine distemper and would have facilitated HMV transmission and adaptation to dogs. Conclusions: The measles epidemics that decimated indigenous South American populations in the 1500–1700 s likely facilitated the establishment of CDV as a canine pathogen, which eventually spread to Europe and beyond. Significance: Understanding the historical and environmental conditions that have driven morbilliviral evolution provides important insights into potential future threats of animal/human cross-species infections. Limitations: Interpreting historical disease descriptions is difficult and the archaeological specimens are limited. Molecular sequence data and codon usage analyses rely on modern viruses. Suggestions for further research: Interdisciplinary approaches are increasingly needed to understand diseases of the past and present, as critical information and knowledge is scattered in different disciplines.
KW - Canine distemper
KW - Codon usage bias
KW - History of disease
KW - Human measles virus
KW - Morbilliviral evolution
KW - Rinderpest virus
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.12.007
DO - 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.12.007
M3 - Review article
C2 - 30743216
AN - SCOPUS:85061126761
SN - 1879-9817
VL - 24
SP - 266
EP - 278
JO - International Journal of Paleopathology
JF - International Journal of Paleopathology
ER -