Abstract
•Cause: Viruses of the family Paramyxoviridae; genera Morbillivirus (feline morbillivirus [FeMV], canine distemper virus [CDV], Henipavirus (including Hendra virus [HeV] and Nipah virus), and the newly named Rubulavirus (previously paramyxovirus; mumps virus [MuV]).
•First Described: FeMV was first described in China in 2012. CDV was first described in France in 1905. HeV was first isolated in Queensland, Australia in 1994. Nipah virus was first identified in humans in Malaysia in 1999. MuV was first described in 410 bc (Hippocrates).
•Affected Hosts: Domestic cats (FeMV); large wild Felidae, dogs and other Canidae, Procyonidae (raccoons, pandas), Mustelidae (ferrets, mink, skunks, otters), nonhuman primates (CDV); horses, humans, flying foxes (reservoirs), domestic cats (experimental infection only), guinea pigs (experimental), dogs (HeV); pigs, humans, fruit bats (reservoirs), domestic cats, dogs (Nipah virus); humans, dogs, cats (MuV).
•Geographic Distribution: Asia, Europe, North and South America (FeMV); northeastern Australia (HeV); Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, India (Nipah virus); worldwide (MuV).
•Route of Transmission: Oronasal contact with virus in secretions or excretions, droplet nuclei, and large particle aerosol transmission. Major Clinical Signs: Paramyxoviruses cause infections of the CNS, and respiratory and urinary tracts. FeMV has been implicated in chronic kidney disease in cats, but its clinical significance remains unclear. Natural infections of dogs with HeV have been rare and subclinical. Natural infections of dogs and cats with Nipah virus are also rare, but death and severe respiratory signs have been described. MuV can cause parotitis with salivary gland enlargement.
•Differential Diagnoses: These include other causes of infectious respiratory disease; parasitic respiratory disease; toxins such as lead and ethylene glycol; other causes of infectious meningoencephalitis. Differential diagnosis for mumps include other causes of parotitis such as immune-mediated disease.
•Human Health Significance: FeMV is not known to infect humans. HeV and Nipah virus cause serious infections of humans with high mortality. Mumps is a serious infection of humans but largely controlled by vaccination; periodic outbreaks still occur. Dogs and cats do not appear to be important in transmission of these viruses to humans.