Serological survey of parapoxvirus infection in wild ruminants in Japan in 1996–9

The prevalence of parapoxvirus infection was examined in free-ranging wild ruminants in Japan, Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) and Japanese deer (Cervus nippon centralis), in 1996-9. We collected a total of 151 serum samples from 101 Japanese serows and 50 Japanese deer and tested for antibodies against parapoxvirus by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an agar gel immunodiffusion test. Overall seroprevalences among Japanese serows were 5/25 (20.0%) in 1996, 4/14 (28.6%) in 1997, 5/32 (15.6%) in 1998 and 2/30 (6.7%) in 1999, respectively. The seroprevalence increased with age but was not affected by sex. No antibodies were detected from any of 50 serum samples taken from Japanese deer. Our results in this study suggest that parapoxvirus infection is widespread among the population of Japanese serows, however, Japanese deer appear to be still free of the disease.