A Fatal Brain Disease Was Discovered In A Colorado Mountain Lion, Marking The First Case Of This Infection Among The Species In The United States
Recently, a deadly virus was discovered in a mountain lion in Colorado. It is the first case of a mountain lion infected with the rustrela virus in the United States. The germ targets the brains of cats and causes what is known as staggering disease.
Last year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials were notified of a wild mountain lion in a residential area in Douglas County, Colorado.
The cat was female and around one year old. It was displaying strange behavior that suggested it was ill. A homeowner in the area managed to capture a video of the sick cat.
The mountain lion’s hind legs had gone limp, so it was forced to drag itself across the ground with its front legs. It also appeared to be depressed but still responded to stimuli. Officials tranquilized the animal and then euthanized it with a gunshot to the chest to avoid damaging neurologic tissues.
A genetic analysis of the cat’s brain and spinal tissue revealed that it had been infected with rustrela virus, or Rubivirus strelense.
Scientists have been aware of rustrela for several years. For example, in 2020, researchers discovered its presence in animals at a German zoo that had been showing signs of neurological issues.
Staggering disease is rare, but since the 1970s, it has been known to affect domesticated and wild cats throughout Europe.
The latest case is the first U.S. report of rustrela virus and staggering disease among felines. There is still a lot that experts don’t know about the fatal illness. Researchers involved with the case found that the virus in the Colorado mountain lion is genetically distinct from the variants in Europe.
It is possible that the virus is already endemic in parts of the U.S. It seems that rustrela has the ability to infect a diverse range of mammals, but whether or not the virus can sicken humans is unclear.
Carol – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual mountain lion
It is a close cousin of the virus that causes rubella in humans, though. Thanks to a vaccine and vaccination program, rubella has been eliminated in the U.S. since 2004.
“Considering its wide host range in Europe, rustrela virus should be considered as a cause for neurologic diseases among mammal species in North America,” wrote the researchers.
According to Karen Fox, the lead author of the report and a former pathologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, it will be easier to detect new cases of staggering disease now that its presence in the U.S. is known. Experts can learn more about the illness by continuing to work with colleagues in Europe.
Wildlife officials have asked residents to reach out if they come across mountain lions that are sick in a similar way.
The case was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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