Isolation of panleucopaenia virus from lions

Abstract

An outbreak of feline panleukopenia (FP) in a pride of 18 lions kept in a lion park is described. Viruses, antigenically similar to FP virus isolated from domestic cats, were isolated from the spleens and intestines of two lions that died of the disease. The origin of the virus and some problems associated with devising suitable vaccination programmes for the control of FP in wild Felidae are discussed.