Sick panda in critical condition

Veterinarians are fighting against time to treat a giant panda that is critically ill after contracting a measle-like virus in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Veterinarians are fighting against time to treat a giant panda that is critically ill after contracting a measle-like virus in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. 

Results of daily medical tests on five-year-old Feng Feng show serious heart, liver, kidney and lung damage from canine distemper virus (CDV), which killed two other pandas, according to a spokesman with the provincial wildlife rescue, breeding and research center.

Feng Feng tested positive for CDV, which is highly contagious and fatal, on Dec. 26 last year and began to show neurological symptoms on Jan. 2. Experts have been conducting antiviral therapy on it.

Cheng Cheng and Da Bao, both aged eight, died on Dec. 9 last year and Jan. 4 this year respectively. Another infected panda, 14-year-old Zhu Zhu, is in stable condition.

CDV, which targets a wide variety of animals including dogs, primates and large cats, affects the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract, as well as the spinal cord and the brain.

The infected animals usually have symptoms including high fever, eye inflammation, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. It commonly spread through contact with infected body fluids or contaminated food and water.

Prior to the epidemic, the center was home to 25 giant pandas. After the outbreak, the center sent its healthy pandas to nature reserves elsewhere in the province.

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