Canine Distemper Virus: A Contagious Disease Impacting Dogs
The canine distemper virus, the first virus discovered to cause obesity in mice, is responsible for an extremely contagious disease that affects both domestic and wild species of dogs. This virus primarily affects the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, as well as the brain and spinal cord. In recent studies on mice, scientists have found that the canine distemper virus induces obesity by attacking the central nervous system, resulting in the development of numerous large fat cells. It is worth noting that there is no documented evidence of this virus affecting humans; however, it shares similarities with the human measles virus.
Rous-Associated Virus: A Cause of Obesity in Chickens
Rous-associated virus type 7 is an intriguing infectobesity virus that leads to obesity in chickens. While infected chickens consume similar amounts of food as their healthy counterparts, they tend to develop obesity, along with other health complications such as enlarged fatty livers, anemia, and a weakened immune system. Scientists suggest that these viral-induced effects are a result of impaired thyroid hormone production caused by damage to the central nervous system. Interestingly, this method of inducing obesity is not unique to this particular virus, as several animal viruses employ similar strategies. Consequently, it is plausible that comparable viruses in humans could also contribute to the development of obesity.