Persistent Infection in Harbor Seals 12–13 Years after Phocine Distemper Virus Epizootics in 1988 and 2002, North Sea

Marco van de Bildt; Jolianne M. Rijks; Trine Hammer Jensen; Sophie M.J.M.  Brasseur; Marja J.L.  Kik; Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus; Andrea Gröne; Thijs Kuiken; Jooske Ijzer

doi:10.3201/eid3112.250329

Persistent Infection in Harbor Seals 12–13 Years after Phocine Distemper Virus Epizootics in 1988 and 2002, North Sea

Marco van de Bildt
, Jolianne M. Rijks
, Trine Hammer Jensen
, Sophie M.J.M. Brasseur
, Marja J.L. Kik
, Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus
, Andrea Gröne
, Thijs Kuiken^*
, Jooske Ijzer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Virology

Dutch Wildlife Health Centre, Utrecht
Aalborg University
Wageningen Marine Research, Den Helder
University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation
Utrecht University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Phocine distemper virus caused epizootics of fatal pneumonia in North Sea harbor seals in 1988 and 2002. Two seals that stranded years later were infected with defective phocine distemper virus variants that caused severe encephalomyelitis. Old seal encephalitis resembled subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in humans and old dog encephalitis in canines.

Original language	English
Number of pages	4
Journal	Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume	31
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3112.250329
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

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© 2025, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All Right Reserved.

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title = "Persistent Infection in Harbor Seals 12–13 Years after Phocine Distemper Virus Epizootics in 1988 and 2002, North Sea",

abstract = "Phocine distemper virus caused epizootics of fatal pneumonia in North Sea harbor seals in 1988 and 2002. Two seals that stranded years later were infected with defective phocine distemper virus variants that caused severe encephalomyelitis. Old seal encephalitis resembled subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in humans and old dog encephalitis in canines.",

author = "\{van de Bildt\}, Marco and Rijks, \{Jolianne M.\} and Jensen, \{Trine Hammer\} and Brasseur, \{Sophie M.J.M.\} and Kik, \{Marja J.L.\} and Osterhaus, \{Albert D.M.E.\} and Andrea Gr{\"o}ne and Thijs Kuiken and Jooske Ijzer",

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doi = "10.3201/eid3112.250329",

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T1 - Persistent Infection in Harbor Seals 12–13 Years after Phocine Distemper Virus Epizootics in 1988 and 2002, North Sea

AU - van de Bildt, Marco

AU - Rijks, Jolianne M.

AU - Jensen, Trine Hammer

AU - Brasseur, Sophie M.J.M.

AU - Kik, Marja J.L.

AU - Osterhaus, Albert D.M.E.

AU - Gröne, Andrea

AU - Kuiken, Thijs

AU - Ijzer, Jooske

PY - 2025/12

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N2 - Phocine distemper virus caused epizootics of fatal pneumonia in North Sea harbor seals in 1988 and 2002. Two seals that stranded years later were infected with defective phocine distemper virus variants that caused severe encephalomyelitis. Old seal encephalitis resembled subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in humans and old dog encephalitis in canines.

AB - Phocine distemper virus caused epizootics of fatal pneumonia in North Sea harbor seals in 1988 and 2002. Two seals that stranded years later were infected with defective phocine distemper virus variants that caused severe encephalomyelitis. Old seal encephalitis resembled subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in humans and old dog encephalitis in canines.

U2 - 10.3201/eid3112.250329

DO - 10.3201/eid3112.250329

M3 - Article

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VL - 31

JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases

JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases

IS - 12

ER -

Persistent Infection in Harbor Seals 12–13 Years after Phocine Distemper Virus Epizootics in 1988 and 2002, North Sea

Abstract

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