Immunophenotyping of immune cell populations in the raccoon (Procyon lotor).

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a highly adaptable carnivore that has rapidly conquered Europe over the last decades and represents a potential candidate as pathogen reservoir, bearing the risk for transmission of infectious agents, as zoonosis or spill-over, to other wild life and domestic animals and man. Comprehensive investigations of infectious diseases in raccoons require a detailed knowledge of the participating immune cell populations. To close this gap of knowledge, various antibodies were tested for cross-reactivity with leukocytes in lymphoid organs and peripheral blood of raccoons using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, respectively.

[Hantaviruses in Germany: threat for zoo, pet, companion and farm animals?].

Hantaviruses are so-called "emerging" and "re-emerging" viruses because of the new and sudden nature of their appearance. Human infections can lead to two distinct disease patterns, the Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome and the Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome. All known human pathogenic hantaviruses are transmitted through rodent hosts.