4 ms·

>In view of their genetic similarity to seals there was a fear that dog distemper might mutate and cross over into the seal population. Sounds crazy. Does some

by riedel 2y ago

>In view of their genetic similarity to seals there was a fear that dog distemper might mutate and cross over into the seal population. Sounds crazy. Does someone know, how realistic this was. Is there more evolutionary pressure in Antarctica to make that happen? Are those seals closer genetically? Could this happen elsewhere?

andrewflnr 2y ago
Birds aren't that similar to humans, and viruses jump between us all the time.
brudgers 2y ago
I live by the Pacific shore. My dog gets vaccinated against leptospirosis because seals and sea lions also get it (and so can humans).
- rob74 2y ago
  Ok, but leptospirosis is a bacterial infection, while (I think) OP's point was about dog distemper, which is caused by a virus. But according to Wikipedia this is not a remote possibility (as the blog post puts it), but something that has actually already happened in several places, with disastrous consequences: > The domestic dog has largely been responsible for introducing canine distemper to previously unexposed wildlife and now causes a serious conservation threat to many species of carnivores and some species of marsupials. The virus contributed to the near-extinction of the black-footed ferret. It also may have played a considerable role in the extinction of the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) and recurrently causes mortality among African wild dogs. In 1993-1994, the lion population in the Serengeti, Tanzania, experienced a 20% decline as a result of the disease. The disease has also mutated into the phocine distemper virus, which affects seals. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_distemper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_distemper)
  - jhbadger 2y ago
    Don't know about distemper crossing over from dogs, but avian flu (also viral) is a serious problem among seals and other marine mammals -- it's possible for viruses to have wide cross-species infectivity. https://e360.yale.edu/features/avian-flu-mammals-birds-seals https://e360.yale.edu/features/avian-flu-mammals-birds-seals
madaxe_again 2y ago
Fur seals are closer to canids than other seals, and could be an intermediate host.

by riedel 2y ago

andrewflnr 2y ago

Birds aren't that similar to humans, and viruses jump between us all the time.

brudgers 2y ago

I live by the Pacific shore. My dog gets vaccinated against leptospirosis because seals and sea lions also get it (and so can humans).

rob74 2y ago
Ok, but leptospirosis is a bacterial infection, while (I think) OP's point was about dog distemper, which is caused by a virus. But according to Wikipedia this is not a remote possibility (as the blog post puts it), but something that has actually already happened in several places, with disastrous consequences: > The domestic dog has largely been responsible for introducing canine distemper to previously unexposed wildlife and now causes a serious conservation threat to many species of carnivores and some species of marsupials. The virus contributed to the near-extinction of the black-footed ferret. It also may have played a considerable role in the extinction of the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) and recurrently causes mortality among African wild dogs. In 1993-1994, the lion population in the Serengeti, Tanzania, experienced a 20% decline as a result of the disease. The disease has also mutated into the phocine distemper virus, which affects seals. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_distemper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_distemper)
- jhbadger 2y ago
  Don't know about distemper crossing over from dogs, but avian flu (also viral) is a serious problem among seals and other marine mammals -- it's possible for viruses to have wide cross-species infectivity. https://e360.yale.edu/features/avian-flu-mammals-birds-seals https://e360.yale.edu/features/avian-flu-mammals-birds-seals

madaxe_again 2y ago

Fur seals are closer to canids than other seals, and could be an intermediate host.