Canine distemper virus (CDV)

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is an **enveloped, negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus** in the **genus Morbillivirus** and the **family Paramyxoviridae**[7][4]. It is a highly contagious and often lethal pathogen for domestic dogs and a wide spectrum of wild and captive carnivores and other mammals[7][4]. CDV is closely related to the viruses causing measles in humans and rinderpest in cattle[7]. The viral genome encodes several structural and nonstructural proteins, including nucleocapsid (N), phospho (P), matrix (M), fusion (F), large polymerase (L), and hemagglutinin (H), with H and F proteins being key for cell entry via interaction with the host's SLAM (CD150) and Nectin-4 receptors[1][3][4][2]. Disease manifests typically as severe respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms; it is vaccine-preventable but remains a significant threat where immunization rates are low[7]. CDV is not a molecular drug target like a receptor or enzyme, but is itself the pathogen targeted by vaccines. **Explanation of Correctness:** "Canine distemper virus" is *not* a molecular drug target such as a receptor, enzyme, or transporter; it is a virus as a whole organism. Its proteins (notably the hemagglutinin [H] protein or fusion [F] protein) might be molecular targets for antivirals or antibodies, but "Canine distemper virus" as a term is imprecise for molecular targeting contexts, and the answer is therefore flagged as “is_incorrect: true” for this framework. If a specific viral protein (e.g., "Canine distemper virus hemagglutinin") is intended, please specify for proper molecular annotation.

Other names

Canine morbillivirus

Null (Not a molecular target for therapeutic drugs; vaccines work by priming the immune system against viral antigens)