Editing Canine distemper (section)

==Epidemiology==
The prevalence of canine distemper in the community has decreased dramatically due to the availability of vaccinations. However, the disease continues to spread among unvaccinated populations, such as those in animal shelters and pet stores. This provides a great threat to both the rural and urban communities throughout the United States, affecting both shelter and domestic canines. Despite the effectiveness of the vaccination, outbreaks of this disease continue to occur nationally. In April 2011, the Arizona Humane Society released a valley-wide pet health alert throughout Phoenix, Arizona.<ref>{{cite web|title=AHS ISSUES VALLEYWIDE PET HEALTH ALERT|work=Arizona Humane Society|url=http://www.azhumane.org/artman2/publish/aboutus/PET_HEALTH_ALERT.shtml|access-date=2012-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415215710/http://www.azhumane.org/artman2/publish/aboutus/PET_HEALTH_ALERT.shtml|archive-date=2012-04-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Outbreaks of canine distemper continue to occur throughout the United States and elsewhere and are caused by many factors, including proximity to wild animals and lack of vaccinated animals. This problem is even greater within areas such as Arizona, owing to the vast amount of rural land. An unaccountable number of strays that lack vaccinations reside in these areas, so they are more susceptible to diseases such as canine distemper. These strays act as a reservoir for the virus, spreading it throughout the surrounding area, including urban areas. Puppies and dogs that have not received their shots can then be infected in a place where many dogs interact, such as a dog park.