Wildlife Disease News Digest

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Bat killer hits endangered grays

Federal scientists confirmed the fungal epidemic has struck a second species of endangered American bats

The news on white-nose syndrome just keeps spiraling downward. The fungal infection, which first emerged six years ago, was reported May 29 in a seventh species of North American bats — the largely cave-dwelling grays (Myotis grisecens). The latest victims were identified while hibernating this past winter in two Tennessee counties.

Science News - www.sciencenews.org

29 May 2012

J Raloff

Location: Tennessee, USA - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More Bat News

>>> Results from survey testing Fla. bat health released
>>> Chemical Fingerprinting Tracks the Travels of Little Brown Bats [Cited Ecological Applications Journal article HERE]

Austria ignores widespread bird deaths

Austrian officials say they have no plans to act and are not even monitoring the situation after thousands of dead birds were reported across the country apparently as a result of infection by trichomonosis.

In the United Kingdom the widespread deaths of birds resulted in an information campaign and a request for members of the public to inform the Garden Bird Health Initiative about possible deaths of birds from the disease.

But in Austria the only reason the problem is even been mentioned briefly in the news is because an animal rights campaigner from Upper Austria commissioned the Vienna veterinary University to look at why she had managed to find 64 dead birds on her 17,000 metre property at Hartkirchen in Eferding.

Vienna Times - www.viennatimes.at

27 May 2012

Location: Hartkirchen, Austria - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

In Wild Animals, Charting the Pathways of Disease

....Peering into the nostrils of wild sheep is part of the nascent field of eco-immunology, which seeks both to understand the immune systems of wild animals and to use that knowledge to gain a better understanding of human immune systems. Until recently, this kind of knowledge has been gleaned almost exclusively by studying pampered, genetically similar lab animals, which don’t reflect a real-world scenario.

Eco-immunology works to understand how disease spreads in wildlife populations — the bighorn sheep are in trouble because of pneumonia that spread from domestic sheep — and how it can be worsened by human and environmental factors like climate change. Another major goal is to understand the pathways that deadly diseases can follow from wildlife to humans.

The New York Times - www.nytimes.com

28 May 2012

J Robbins

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More News on the Benefits of Understanding Wildlife Disease

>>> Looking for Clues from Frogs, Fish, and Snails to Fighting Off Disease

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Photo courtesy of The Guardian feature, The Week in Wildlife

Drunk birds had one-too-many berries to blame [Cited Journal of Ornithology article HERE]

Chronic wasting disease found in a red deer from North Oaks farm herd [Ramsey Co., Minnesota, USA - Map It ]

Dolphin found dead at Rehoboth Beach: Seven strandings so far this year; amount high but not unusual [ Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, USA - Map It ]

Super-sensitive tests could detect diseases earlier

FAO Statement on World Migratory Bird Day- Importance of Migratory Birds [Courtesy of the Australian Wildlife Health Network]

Bringing Science and Collaboration into Wildlife Health Management [International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council announcement]

Current focus of veterinary medical profession leaves research, food security, public health needs underserved

Early emergence of West Nile causes concern [Pennsylvania, USA]

Senators want animal disease off security list [Bovine brucellosis]

Fish Die-off News

DNR reports fish kill on Lake Delton [Columnaris][Lake Delton, Wisconsin, USA - Map It ]

More Dead Fish in Ogeechee River [ Georgia, USA - Map It ]

Steuben County Lake Recovers After Deadly Fish [Largemouth bass virus] [ Johnson Lake, Indiana, USA - Map It ]

Dolphin Die-off in Peru News

A Dolphin Death Whodunit In Peru

Expert Links Dolphin Deaths to Sonar Testing

Huh?! That's Interesting
Ancient walking mystery deepens

Wildlife Disease Journal Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Browse complete Digest publication library here.

Molecular characterisation of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) in New Zealand and its implications for managing an infectious disease
Archives of Virology. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1007/s00705-012-1336-5
M Massaro et al.

Phylogeographic analysis of avian influenza viruses isolated from Charadriiformes in Belgium confirms intercontinental reassortment in gulls
Archives of Virology. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1007/s00705-012-1323-x
S Van Borm et al.

Emerging prion disease drives host selection in a wildlife population
Ecological Applications. 2012; 22:1050–1059. doi:10.1890/11-0907.1
SJ Robinson et al.

Analysis of post-blood meal flight distances in mosquitoes utilizing zoo animal blood meals
J Vector Ecol. 2012 Jun;37(1):83-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1948-7134.2012.00203.x.
JA Greenberg et al.

Using Knowledge Fusion to Analyze Avian Influenza H5N1 in East and Southeast Asia
PLoS ONE. 2012; 7(5): e29617. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029617
E Ge et al.

Greater impacts of wind farms on bird populations during construction than subsequent operation: results of a multi-site and multi-species analysis
Journal of Applied Ecology. 2012 Apr; 49(2): 386–394. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02110.x
JW Pearce-Higgins et al.

Parasites and pathogens in wild populations of water voles (Arvicola amphibius) in the UK
European Journal of Wildlife Research. 2012 JUN; 58(3): 615-619. doi:10.1007/s10344-011-0584-0
M Gelling et al.

New Directions in Conservation Medicine:Applied Cases of Ecological Health [Book description]
AA Aguirre et al.

Book Review: Of Moose and Men - A Wildlife Vet's Pursuit of the World's Largest Deer
Open Letters
S Donoghue

Inter-Research Diseases of Aquatic Organisms - May 2012
Volume 99, Issue 01

Emerging Infectious Diseases - June 2012
Volume 18, Number 06

European Journal of Wildlife Research - June 2012
Volume 58, Number 3

Integration of syndromic surveillance data into public health practice at state and local levels in north Carolina
Public Health Rep. 2012 May;127(3):310-7.
E Samoff et al.

Courtesy of Australia Wildlife Health Network

Infectious Disease Surveillance and Monitoring System for Animal and Human Health:
Summary of notable events/incidents of public health significance for the period
1 – 30th April 2012 [pdf]
Issued: 18 May 2012
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Health Protection Agency and DEFRA

Defra Horizon Scanning Newsletter: May 2012 [pdf]
Issue 30
The newsletter covers new insights and emerging issues from a range of topic areas relevant to Defra and its customers. Insights include anything from shifts in consumer attitudes and developments in food and farming, to trends in technology, energy and resources

Australian Society for Parasitology Newsletter - March 2012 [pdf]
Volume 23, Issue 01

Emergence of Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome in Native Fish of the Murray-Darling River System, Australia: Hosts, Distribution and Possible Vectors
PLoS ONE. 2012; 7(4): e35568. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035568
CA Boys et al.

Pathophysiology in Mountain Yellow-Legged Frogs (Rana muscosa) during a Chytridiomycosis Outbreak
PLoS ONE. 2012; 7(4): e35374. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035374
J Voyles et al.

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 19 June 2012 vol. 367 no. 1596 1719-1732. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0008
M Klaassen et al.

The impact and implications of climate change for bats
Mammal Review. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2012.00214.x
HA Sherwin et al.

Ecophysiology meets conservation: understanding the role of disease in amphibian population declines
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 2012 Jun 19; 367(1596): 1688-1707. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0011
AR Blaustein et al.

US Federal Holiday - No News

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Mon, 28 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Due to the U.S. federal holiday, Memorial Day, there will be no wildlife disease news updates until Wednesday, May 30, 2012.

Not celebrating the holiday? The WDIN staff always welcomes contributions to the Wildlife Disease News Digest, especially non-English stories. Let's make this a collaborative effort!

Send your stories to us at digest@wdin.org, and we'll review them for inclusion in the News Digest. Our news selection policy can be found here.

We thank you for your continued readership and support!

WDIN Team

In the Spotlight: Wildlife Health Bulletin from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

NWHC Plan for Avian Influenza Surveillance of Wild Birds

Wildlife Health Bulletin 2012-03

. . . With the exception of a few targeted efforts, the majority of the live bird and hunter harvested AI surveillance programs were discontinued in 2010. The National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) is continuing surveillance for H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza by focusing on testing sick and dead migratory birds, particularly ducks, geese and swans.

We believe that the systematic investigation of morbidity and mortality events in wild birds offers a cost-effective method for detection of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, as well as other emerging wild bird diseases, should they occur in migratory birds in the United States.

In an effort to maximize early detection of H5N1 HPAI, wildlife managers should be alert for wild bird morbidity and mortality events that meet any of the following criteria:

Mortality events of any size involving waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans). North American waterfowl species known to be particularly susceptible to H5N1 HPAI include the wood duck, gadwall and swan species.
Mortality events involving other North American species known to be susceptible to H5N1 HPAI, including eared grebes, dunlin, laughing and black-headed gulls and raptor groups such as falcons (kestrels and peregrine falcons).
Mortality events involving bird species where it is estimated that the mortality exceeds 500 birds.
Wild bird mortality events in close proximity to poultry operations, or mortality events associated with birds that have been imported from countries where H5N1 HPAI is known to occur, are other examples of events that would warrant investigation.

NWHC will also test for H5N1 HPAI in other species when the circumstances of disease outbreaks, including rapid mortality progression and pathologic findings, suggest that avian influenza may be a factor.

NWHC will continue submitting samples to the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories for mortality events exceeding 500 birds, and results will be reported through the HEDDS Web site (a link to HEDDS can also be found on the avian influenza page on the NWHC Web site).

A comprehensive list of USGS avian influenza publications resulting from national and international avian influenza research studies conducted at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Alaska Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center, and the National Wildlife Health Center is available at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/ai_publications_list.jsp

>>> READ ENTIRE WILDLIFE HEALTH BULLETIN [PDF]

More About Wildlife Health Bulletins

Published by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Wildlife Health Bulletins are distributed to natural resource/conservation agencies to provide and promote information exchange about significant wildlife health threats in their geographic region.

To view all issues, dating back to 2000, visit the NWHC website here.

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE HEALTH BULLETINS

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Giant Killer Mice Decimating Rare Seabirds

On a remote island in the South Atlantic, common house mice have become unrelenting killers, consuming millions of endangered baby birds a year, a new study confirms.

...The new study, though, reveals that the petrel chicks are in constant danger from house mice, which have grown to supersize proportions since being introduced to the island 150 years ago.

...House mice have no predators on Gough Island, and in summer their numbers reach "stupendous densities—300 mice per hectare," Wanless said. (A hectare is about 2.5 acres.)

That means there are about 1.9 million mice on an island that's just 25 square miles (65 square kilometers). What's more, the mice on Gough Island now grow 50 percent bigger than normal mice, reaching up to 10 inches (27 centimeters) long, not including the tail.

As other food sources diminish in winter, the mice turn to the huge numbers of bird chicks.

National Geographic - news.national.geographic

21 May 2012

R Kaufman

Location: Gough Island

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Toxic substances found in Talvivaara birds

Tissue tests conducted at the organisation’s Oulu lab showed signs of organ damage in birds found dead at a Talvivaara processing pond in Sotkamo, eastern Finland. Toxicology screening found high levels of nickel, zinc and manganese.

Fresh results from laboratory tests by the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira show that exposure to toxic metals was the cause of death among scores of birds found at the site of a Talvivaara metals recovery facility in Sotkamo earlier this month.

Tissue tests conducted at the organisation’s Oulu lab showed signs of organ damage in the birds, while toxicology screening found high levels of nickel, zinc and manganese. The bird species included laughing gulls, golden eye ducks and mallard ducks.

Evira researcher Marja Isomursu said that the effects of metal poisoning were found in the avians’ digestive tracts and lungs. She said that the birds were probably exposed to the toxic metals in the air and water surrounding the mine.

Apart from signs of poisoning, Evira found the birds in good health, with no evidence of disease or viral or bacterial infections.

Yle Uutiset - yle.fi

22 May 2012
Photo courtesy of Yle Uutiset

Location: Talvivaara, Finland - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Richer parasite diversity leads to healthier frogs, says new CU study

Increases in the diversity of parasites that attack amphibians cause a decrease in the infection success rate of virulent parasites, including one that causes malformed limbs and premature death, says a new University of Colorado Boulder study.

... The new study showed when the chorus frogs were exposed to all six trematode types simultaneously, the infection success rate was 42 percent lower than for frogs exposed to only a single species of parasite. “Our results show increases in parasite diversity consistently cause a decrease in infection success by the most virulent parasite,” said Johnson of the ecology and evolutionary biology department.

The primary study results support the idea that higher biodiversity can help protect against certain diseases, but few previous studies had considered the diversity of the parasites themselves. Because many parasites compete with each other, ecological systems richer in parasites can act as a buffer against virulent pathogens. Johnson said the combination of extensive field and lab work helped strengthen the study results.

University of Colorado Boulder - www.colorado.edu

21 May 2012

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Cited Journal Article

Parasite diversity and coinfection determine pathogen infection success and host fitness. PNAS. 2012; published ahead of print May 21, 2012, doi:10.1073/pnas.1201790109

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

1st bird, mosquitoes test positive for West Nile [Chicago, Illinois, USA - Map It ]

Two Manteca birds killed by West Nile virus [Manteca, California, USA - Map It ]

‘Dramatic increase’ in grey squirrel population [Pox virus][County Wicklow - Map It and Antrim - Map It, Ireland]

OIE WAHID Report: Low pathogenic avian influenza (ostriches), South Africa [Uniondale, Africa - Map It ]

Over 100 Animals Statewide Infected with Rabies [Colorado, USA]

Mercury in Dolphins Higher Downwind of Power Plants [USA]

Habitat matters for Canadian wildlife species

Peru dolphins not killed by oil blasts, says minister

Vets ‘crucial in combating new disease outbreaks’

Warning over exotic pet sales and killer diseases in the Midlands

Parasite may aid cattle TB spread

Huh?! That's Interesting!

Articles Shared by Your Fellow Digest Readers

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

[High dioxin levels in eggs of songbirds Dutch]
[Translated article]

In eggs of songbirds are embryonic abnormalities. A serious dioxin exposure appears to be responsible. This is evident from recent research by the Foundation Bargerveen the wheatear and meadow pipit. In the studied eggs of these birds were high concentrations of dioxins found. The research has focused on two Dutch nature reserves, the North Holland Dune Reserve and Aekingerzand, a drift sand area in Drenthe. The dioxins in the eggs are probably from inclusion insects that these toxins from the soil. The first results are published this week in the Journal for Nature, Forest and Landscape.

Natuurbericht.nl

16 May 2012

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Canine distemper 'outbreak' is confirmed in valley's foxes

Wildlife biologists are investigating an outbreak of canine distemper in the local fox population, and health officials are warning dog owners to vaccinate their pets against this often-fatal disease.

The virus has been confirmed in the carcasses of two gray foxes found dead in Ashland and one in south Medford over the past month.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, two more dead foxes picked up over the past week in Ashland were sent Wednesday to the Oregon State University Diagnostics Lab for testing.

Biologists also have fielded more than a dozen calls in the past two weeks regarding gray foxes displaying strange behavior, such as walking in circles, stumbling and foaming at the mouth.

"We've suspected distemper, and it's been confirmed," says Mark Vargas, the ODFW's Rogue District wildlife biologist. "Is it a pandemic? No. As of now? An outbreak.

"It's a wildlife issue, but it's also a public health issue in terms of pets," Vargas says.

Mail Tribune - www.mailtribune.com

17 May 2012

M Freeman

Location: Ashland - Map It and Medford - Map It , Oregon, USA

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Mass dolphin deaths in Peru caused by acoustic trauma

...Now the necropsy results are in, and there is unequivocal evidence that the dolphins were killed by an acoustic trauma, such as loud sonar or explosive blasts.... Dr. Llanos doesn't identify the source of the trauma, but all other tests (virus, contaminants, parasites etc) are not considered factors.

The following tissue samples, provided to Blue voice by Dr. Llanos show evidence of rapid ascent, (though the scientists are not willing to speculate on what caused the dolphins to race to the surface, their bodies are adapted to adjust to depth, and normally do not aggregate bubbles in their tissues).

Necropsies were performed on site. Macroscopic findings include: hemorrhagic lesions in the middle including the acoustic chamber, fractures in the periotic bones, bubbles in blood filling liver and kidneys (animals were diving, so the main organs were congested), lesion in the lungs compatible with pulmonary emphysema, sponge-like liver. So far we have 12 periotic samples from different animals, all with different degree of fractures and 80% of them with fracture in the right periotic bones, compatible with acoustic impact and decompression syndrome.

Digital Journal.com - www.digitaljournal.com

17 May 2012

CC Whiting

Photo courtesy of Digital Journal

Location: Peru

>>> FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Photo courtesy of The Guardian feature, The Week in Wildlife

The death of birds in Novokuznetsk associated with injuries, and not a virus or hostile environment - experts [Novokuznetsk, Russia - Map It ]

In the Crimea, on the banks found nearly 150 dead dolphins [Crimea, Ukraine - Map It ]

Bait ban expanded after CWD cases [North Dakota, USA]

Dolphin was alive when it became stranded on beach [ Whitstable, England - Map It ]

House Bill Revives Kansas Biodefense Lab [USA]

Race to save the devil Down Under [Australia]

Rocky Mountain cave closure sought over bat disease: Officials say fatal white-nose syndrome is spreading westward [USA]

Rabies News

A mountain lion that attacked a dog was determined to be rabid [Cordes Lakes, Arizona, USA - Map It ]

Rabies outbreak spreads in New Mexico [USA]

Harmful Algal Bloom News

Detect red tide in coastal Tapachula [Argentine]

KDHE: Blue-green algae levels high at city lake [Kansas, USA]

Health warning after potentially harmful algae found in loch [Scotland]

Duck hunters in Canterbury are being warned to avoid two lakes during the duckshooting season, because of toxic algae [New Zealand]

It Ain't All Bad News

Eagle rescued in Erie being treated for virus [Pennsylvania, USA - Map It ]

Scientists track TN bats, discover unusual colony in Ala. [A maternity colony][Alabama, USA]

More wind power with fewer bird deaths: Partnership seeks to boost renewable resource while reducing risks to wildlife

Bald eagles recover from eating euthanized cats [Eagle River, Wisconsin, USA - Map It ]

In the Spotlight: Introducing the One Health Global Network Webportal

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

The One Health Global Network (OHGN), www.onehealthglobal.net, is a 'network of networks' that works to bring partners from One Health initiatives together from around the globe. This webportal is currently under development, but it was recently opened to the public.

The goals for the OHGN Webportal are to:

Unify the One Health community
Connect the wealth of One Health information through a single portal
Facilitate access to One Health initiatives, as well as promote and interconnect them
Join and promote balanced involvement of all regions of the world around One Health
Encourage interaction and discussion

>>> MORE ON THE OHGN MISSION

What You Will Find on the OHGN Webportal?

Description and link to One Health Talk.org, a online forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas about the One Health approach and its many applications

Upcoming and past meetings related to the One Health approach

List of links to One Health Platforms and training providers

Collection of resources (e.g. videos, photos, case studies, presentations and databases)

>>> TO THE OHGN WEBPORTAL

Who is the OHGN?

The OHGN and its webportal are set up by a group of professionals involved in the rapid development of the One Health movement. They represent various sectors related to One Health. While belonging to government agencies, regional institutions, international technical agencies including the UN, universities, development banks, NGOs and civil society, they all act in their personal expert capacity and pro bono. Currently, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia are represented in the working group, which remains open to new members. Contributions to this webportal are very welcome.

Source: One Health Global Network

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Cape Cod Dolphin Deaths: Symptoms of a World-Wide Tragedy

In Cape Cod, a total of 214 common dolphins, stranded over a period of a few weeks; 73 were successfully reintroduced to the ocean. In a normal year, 37 is the average number of common dolphins that strand. ...So what accounts for this year's high numbers?

It's a question that researchers are trying to answer. Michael Booth, a Communications Officer at IFAW informed this reporter in an email that research is ongoing.

"The one constant thread among all mass stranding is that like humans, common dolphins involved are highly social animals that depend upon the safety and resources of the group in order to survive," Booth wrote. "This group mentality that is so helpful to these animals at sea can unfortunately cause otherwise healthy animals to strand en mass when they are near shore. When one animal enters shallow water or strands, the entire group may follow."

One factor that likely played a role, Booth wrote, is that the waters in the area were unseasonably warm. The dolphins that did strand appeared healthy and likely stranded due to natural events, rather than human causes.

Topography may also play a part. The area has complex inlets and hook-shaped areas, Booth wrote. While Cape Cod's topography may have played a part, it doesn't account for the drastic increase in numbers.

The tragedy is even greater in Peru. Possibly as many as 2800 dolphins have stranded along a 137 mile stretch of the north coast. Again, most were common dolphins.

News Gather.com - news.gather.com

16 May 2012

M Hamilton

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Coral model predicts bleaching

Curtin University researchers have used computational fluid dynamics and powerful supercomputers to create new models for understanding and predicting coral bleaching.

A phenomenon that has increased in magnitude over the past two decades, coral bleaching is attributed to an elevation of sea surface temperatures combined with the sun’s irradiation.

While bleaching is generally expected in response to a one to two degree temperature increase over a prolonged period, the new models consider phenomena such as coral porosity and permeability, morphology, mass and most importantly water flow and heat transfer.

Science Alert - www.sciencealert.com

17 May 2012

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More Coral News

>>>> Coral Rehabilitation Underway in Keys

[Investigate mass death of birds in Santo Domingo]
[Article translated]

Gray petrels, pelicans, boobies, and Humboldt penguins guanays are the species that are part of the 2000 dead birds found within a radius of six kilometers on the beach of Santo Domingo. Most sprains and bruises present, and some contain fish in their stomach.

According to Jose Luis Brito, director of the Museum of Natural History and Archaeology of San Antonio, "the birds to migrate north took to the seas to hunt for food. They were caught in the nets, drowned, and then the bodies were thrown overboard from boats by fishermen. "

...In a meeting on Friday, the authorities explained that this was a known position and that he had records of similar events in previous years. In 2002 more than a thousand birds died in the nets of fishermen in the central coast. And in 1999 a hundred Humboldt penguins were killed by the same cause.

La Tercera - diario.latercera.com

13 May 2012

JL Perez

Location - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

West Nile-infected crow found in Millcreek Township [ Erie Cty., Pennsylvanian, USA - Map It ]

Distemper outbreak strikes Windsor-Essex raccoons [Essex Canada - Map It ]

Nebraska seeing high number of rabies cases in 2012 [USA]

Animal Disease Research Misses the Human Perspective, Say Researchers

White-nose Syndrome News

Bat die-off may have leveled off
Another deadly exotic [...the fungus, Geomyces destructans, which causes White Nose Syndrome in bats, is a recent invasive from Europe]

Translated Articles
[Translation disclaimer]

[Young whale stranded dies on Iracema Beach] [Portuguese article translated][Iracema Beach, Brazil - Map It ]

[Endangered whale dies after colliding with cargo ship][Portuguese translated article] [Sri Lanka - Map It ]

[Dead animals, birds and fish were found in the area of oil pollution on the Angara River] [Russian article translated] [Angara River, Russia - Map It ]

[Birds fell dead] [Russian article translated][Novokuznetsk, Russia - Map It ]

[Dolphins killed in the Crimea, a severe winter, experts say] [translated article] [Map It ]

[The 'effect pelican'] [Spanish article translated] [Peru]

Huh?! That's Interesting!

Wildlife Disease Journal Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Browse complete Digest publication library here.

Chlamydia psittaci in birds of prey, Sweden
Infection Ecology and Epidemiology. 2012; 2: 8435. doi: 10.3402/iee.v2i0.8435
M Blomqvist et al.

Inoculation of bats with European Geomyces destructans supports the novel pathogen hypothesis for the origin of white-nose syndrome
PNAS. 2012 May 01; 109(18): 6999-7003. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1200374109
L Warnecke et al.

Bats and white-nose syndrome
PNAS. 2012 May 01; 109(18): 6999-7003. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1204793109
MB Fenton

American Journal of Primatology - June 2012 [Table of Contents]
Special Issue: Social Processes and Disease in Non-Human Primates
74(6): 491–590

Museums and disease: using tissue archive and museum samples to study pathogens
Ann Anat. 2012 Jan 20;194(1):58-73. Epub 2011 May 11. doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2011.04.003
K Tsangaras and AD Greenwood

Unexpected high responses to tuberculin skin-test in farmed red deer: implications for tuberculosis control
Prev Vet Med. 2012 May 1;104(3-4):327-34. Epub 2011 Dec 24.
J Queiros et al.

Immunophenotype of Cells within Cervine Rectoanal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue and Mesenteric Lymph Nodes
Journal of Camparative Pathology. 2012 May; 146(4): 365-371
MP Dagleish et al.

Sodium Chloride Inhibits the Growth and Infective Capacity of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus and Increases Host Survival Rates
PLoS ONE. 2012; 7(5): e36942. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036942
MP Stockwell et al.

Comparison of Web-Based Biosecurity Intelligence Systems: BioCaster, EpiSPIDER and HealthMap
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 2012 Jun; 59(3): 223–232. doi:10.1111/j.1865-1682.2011.01258.x
A Lyon et al.

Causes of admission of little owl (Athene noctua) at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Catalonia (Spain) from 1995 to 2010 [pdf]
Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. 2011; 34.2: 401-405
RA Molina–López and L Darwich

Monitoring EU Emerging Infectious Disease Risk Due to Climate Change
Science. 2012 Apr 27; 336(6080): 418-419. DOI: 10.1126/science.1215735
E Lindgren et al.

Receptor-binding Profiles of H7 Subtype Influenza Viruses in Different Host Species
Journal of Virology. 2012 Feb; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1128/JVI.06959-11
AS Gambaryan et al.

GENI-DB: a database of global events for epidemic intelligence
Bioinformatics. 2012 Mar 01; 28(8): 1186-1188. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bts099
N Collier and S Daon

Courtesy of a Digest reader

Tuberculosis in non-human primates of Assam: use of PrimaTB STAT-PAK Assay for detection of tuberculosis
Journal of Threatened Taxa. 2012; 4(4): 2541–2544.
BG Nath et al.

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

USGS Continues Research on White-Nose Syndrome: National Wildlife Health Center Collaborates with EcoHealth Alliance

New research on white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats will investigate environmental conditions in caves and mines used by hibernating bats. The research will focus on the fungus Geomyces destructans, which causes the fatal disease.

... This research will be conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization that focuses on local conservation and global health issues. It is being funded by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

... Scientists will investigate environmental conditions within bat hibernacula (caves and mines used by hibernating bats) to identify potential factors that contribute to disease development and severity. Scientists will assess how environmental factors affect the growth and persistence of the deadly fungus in the environment and on bats within hibernation sites. Research will target six hibernacula in the East and Midwest U.S. Each site will be monitored for microclimate conditions and quantity of the deadly fungus on bats, soil, and rock surfaces throughout the year.

USGS Newsroom [Press Release]

11 May 2012

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More White-nose Syndrome News

>>> Texas bats being monitored for deadly disease

TB outbreak 'not caused by wildlife'

SCIENTISTS have ruled out wildlife being behind an outbreak of bovine TB in Scotland that led to the slaughter of a herd of cattle.

Scottish Government officials are still trying to pin down what caused the disease to appear on a farm at Ballencrieff, Bathgate, West Lothian, last month, and say their investigation is continuing. Discounting a possibility the infection came from wildlife means there will be no plans to cull badgers or other potential carriers of the disease.

Herald Scotland - www.heraldscotland.com

10 May 2012

J Harrison

>>> FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Photo courtesy of The Guardian feature, The Week in Wildlife

An Indian villager bathes a parrot he rescued in
Bhubaneswar, Ind

Peru says 5,000 birds, nearly 900 dolphins dead [Peru]

DNR: Deer not from CWD area [Wisconsin, USA]

Heavy Rain Raises Concern for Disease Among Wild Animals [Texas, USA]

Fish Die-off News

Weather blamed for Simcoe fish die-off [ Ontario, Canada - Map It ]

Fish kill reported at Lake Leota [Wisconsin, USA - Map It ]

Courtesy of Your Fellow Digest Readers

Pregnant reindeer [herd] death shock [Suspect spooked by predator][Northern Sweden]
[Poaching in Germany: eagles have been the victim of a poison attack: Toxicological examination confirmed the use of the nerve poison carbofuran ][Translated German article][Germany - Map It ]
South Africa confiscates assets worth nearly $7m from three suspected rhino poachers [Sadly two of whom are vets] [South Africa]

In the Spotlight: The Digest's Professional Announcements Page

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Find Out About Upcoming Wildlife Health Related Professional Opportunities

Figure 1: As highlighted in the image above with a red box,
open the page by clicking on the Professional Announcements'
title found in the Digest's menu near the top of the site.

The Wildlife Data Integration Network team regularly provides wildlife disease related announcements about professional development activities, such as upcoming meetings, continuing education offers, and employment opportunities. All of which can be found right here on the Digest.

After reading all the latest wildlife disease related news and developments, click on the Professional Announcements page (highlighted in Figure 1 with a red box) and learn about future activities and events of interest to those who share a concern about wildlife disease.

If you have an announcement you would like to include, email the details about it to us at digest@wdin.org. If it relates to wildlife health, you will see it posted here. Your colleagues will appreciate your efforts!

Some upcoming events and opportunities:

University of Florida, Aquatic Animal Health Program - Online Courses Available [Registration Deadline: 11 May 2012]

61st Annual WDA and 10th EWDA Conference [Early Bird Regristation Deadline 15 May 2012]

Scholarship Opportunity - Association of Avian Veterinarians Australasian Chapter Annual Conference (AAVAC) [Deadline: 30 May 2012]

>>> To all events on the Professional Announcement page

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Wildlife officials probe mysterious brown pelican deaths in Brevard

State wildlife officials are investigating a spate of sudden brown pelican deaths along the Indian River Lagoon. Four brown pelicans were reported dead on May 3 in a private pond in Rockledge.

Remains of the birds have been sent to a state research laboratory in Gainesville for testing....“The birds had no external signs of injury,” said Kevin Baxter, spokesman for the state’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg.

...Local officials have reported about a dozen brown pelican deaths in the region during the past month. There have been no reported fish kills, algae blooms or other toxic events that could trigger a bird die off, Baxter said.

Floridia Today - www.floridatoday.com

09 May 2012

J Waymer

Location: Florida, USA - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Healthcare for the US Navy's animal warriors could help people stay healthier

Military patrol dogs with your keen sense of smell, step aside. The U.S. Navy has enlisted the biological sonar and other abilities of bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions to protect harbors from enemy swimmers, detect explosives on the seafloor and perform other tasks. An article in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) focuses on the Navy's health program for marine mammals and how it may also help keep people healthy.

C&EN Associate Editor Lauren K. Wolf explains that the Navy invests a lot of time and money in training these animals and, naturally, wants to keep them in tip-top shape when they deploy to places like Iraq or Korea....

When one of the roughly 120 animals gets sick, a team of veterinarians carefully evaluates and treats its illness. Because of the Navy's medical care, the animals are living two and three times longer than is common in the wild, leading to illnesses also seen in older humans, like high cholesterol and chronic inflammation. Wolf reports that the Navy is looking to apply its growing understanding of ailments in marine mammals to develop advances in human medical care.

EurekaAlert - www.eurekalert.org

09 May 2012

>>> FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Dead Dolphins and Birds Are Causing Alarm in Peru

Mass pelican deaths in Peru caused by starvation, study finds

Researcher death highlights dangers of pathogen work

Scientists find way to detect low-level toxins in mussels, 25 years after deadly exposure

Sparrow decline indicates serious environmental change: Experts [India]

State Activates Dead Bird Reporting Hotline to Track West Nile Virus [Wisconsin, USA]

Melting ice turns 10,000 walruses into landlubbers

Habitat matters for Canadian wildlife species

Warming Planet May Help Exotic Disease Invade New York

CWD restrictions to go into effect in northwestern Wisconsin [USA]

Huh?! That's Interesting!

New study shows bird color variations speed up evolution

Wildlife Disease Journal Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Browse complete Digest publication library here.

Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Viruses Exhibit Few Barriers to Gene Flow in Vietnam
EcoHealth. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1007/s10393-012-0749-7
M Carrel et al.

West Nile Transmission in Resident Birds in Italy
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]
R Lelli1 et al.

Diverse effects of parasites in ecosystems: linking interdependent processes
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2012; 10: 186–194. doi: 10.1890/110016
MJ Hatcher et al.

Bridging Taxonomic and Disciplinary Divides in Infectious Disease [Full-text PDF HERE]
EcoHealth. 2011. 8(3): 261-267, DOI: 10.1007/s10393-011-0718-6
ET Borer et al.

EcoHeatlh. 2011 Sep; 8(3)

A curve of thresholds governs plague epizootics in Central Asia
Ecology Letters. 2012: [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01767.x
J Reijiniers

Spatial and spatial–temporal clustering analysis of hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer in the southeastern USA: 1980–2003
Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]
B Xu et al.

More than classical Chlamydia psittaci in urban pigeons
Veterinary Microbiology. 2012 Jun; 157(3-4): 476–480
K Sachse et al.

Exposure of Eurasian magpies and turtle doves to West Nile virus during a major human outbreak, Greece, 2011
European Journal of Wildlife Research. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1007/s10344-011-0603-1
G Valiakos et al.

Purkinje Cell Heterotopy With Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Two Free-Living American Kestrels (Falco sparverius)
Veterinary Pathology. 2012; [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1177/0300985812442690
AG Armién et al.

Characterization of a Tembusu Virus Isolated from Naturally Infected House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Northern China
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1111/j.1865-1682.2012.01328.x
Y Tang et al.

Courtesy of the Australian Wildlife Health Network

Evaluation of different embryonating bird eggs and cell cultures for isolation efficiency of avian Influenza A Virus and Avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 from real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction–positive wild bird surveillance samples
Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation May 2012 vol. 24 no. 3 563-567
KA Moresco et al.

Wild Birds as Sentinels for Multiple Zoonotic Pathogens Along an Urban to Rural Gradient in Greater Chicago, Illinois
Zoonoses and Public Health. 2012. [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01462.x
SA Hamer et al.

Clonal Spread of Geomyces destructans among Bats, Midwestern and Southern United States [Letter]
Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2012 May; 18(5); Epub
P Ren et al.

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Mon, 07 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Local bat researchers shed ultraviolet light on white nose syndrome

Bat researchers based in Shohola are employing an unconventional tool—ultraviolet light—in efforts to unlock another piece of the puzzle that is white nose syndrome (WNS), the mysterious disease that started in the Albany, NY area in 2005-06 that has killed millions of bats and continues to spread. One potential outcome of the research could be clues to a precursor condition that sets the stage for further development of the fungal phase that typically leads to a bat’s death.

The River Reporter - www.riverreporteronline.com

03 May 2012

S Long

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) News

>>> N.B.'s largest bat population wiped out [New Brunswick, Canada]

>>> Latest WNS Map from White-nose Syndrome.org - May 03, 2012

Dead crested myna H5 positive

A dead crested myna found near Santa Monica Avenue in Yuen Long on April 27 has tested H5 positive and more tests are underway, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department announced today.

Hong Kong's Information Services Department - www.news.gov.uk

02 May 2012

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Location: - Yuen Long, Hong Kong, China - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Researchers test California sea lions for kidney disease

... California sea lions caught in floating pens, ... were researchers from the Marine Mammal Center were taking urine and blood samples to test for a pathogen that causes kidney disease.

The researchers were testing for leptospira, a strain bacteria that causes leptospirosis in humans and animals.

Daily Astorian - dailyastorian.com

03 May 2012

E Stratton

Location: California, USA

>>> FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Photo courtesy of The Guardian feature, The Week in Wildlife

Second bird dies from West Nile in Sacramento; authorities ask public for help [American Crow] [Tahoe Park, Sacramento Cty, California - Map It ]

Past winters still taking toll on SD deer [South Dakota, USA]

Pigeon disease detected in NSW [New South Wales, Australia - Map It ]

Report details changes that may boost H5N1 spread in mammals

Rainbow Lorikeet Deaths in Melbourne [Courtesy of Australian Wildlife Health Network] [Melbourne, Australia - Map It ]

It Ain't All Bad News

Wet weather helps ailing wildlife in England and Wales

In the Spotlight: WDIN is on Facebook and Twitter!

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Find WDIN on Facebook and Twitter!

Are you a frequent Facebook or Twitter user? Then consider stopping by to connect with us, the Wildlife Data Integration Network, on one or both of these social networking sites. There you will find the same information that is available through the Wildlife Disease News Digest. The only difference is the convenience. The information from the Digest is coming to where you prefer to spend your time online.

By following us, you will receive frequent wildlife disease related updates, such as:

Announcements of wildlife health related education and job opportunities.
Notifications of upcoming relevant meetings, as well as meetings recently added to the WDIN Event Calendar.
Reports of wildlife disease events added to the Global Wildlife Disease News Map.
Recently published wildlife disease related articles. Entire collection can be found HERE.
Releases of the latest issue of the Wildlife Disease News Digest.

'Like' us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WDINNews
Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WDIN_News

Should We Be Following You?

If you have or know of a Facebook or Twitter account that regularly provides information related to wildlife health, email us the page link and we will check it out.

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

500 Pelicans Die in Peru

More than 500 pelicans have died off the coast of Peru, the BBC reports. The Peruvian government is investigating the deaths of hundreds of birds which stretched along 40-miles of beach along their North Eastern coast.

Officials are saying the pelicans died over the last few days. But they are not the only animals to have mysteriously died in Peru recently.

The Peruvian Maritime Institute discovered the carcasses of 538 pelicans, 54 boobies, five sea lions and a turtle. All of the animals were at different stages of decomposition when they were found but appear to have died recently.

... Earlier this year nearly 800 dolphins had perished along the same strip of land and the Peruvian government is “deeply worried.”

A report revealed the pelicans did not die at sea, but on the beach, possibly from a virus or seismic oil. Further tests will need to be conducted to pinpoint the exact cause of death.

Long Island Press - www.longislandpress.com

30 Apr 2012

J Dawson

Location: Peru - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More Marine Wildlife Mortality News

>>> 32 Dead Porpoises Worry Wildlife Experts [Dongting Lake - Map It and Poyang Lake - Map It , China]

>>> Peru dolphins died from virus, US scientists confirm [Morbillivirus][Peru - Map It ]

Avian botulism causing duck deaths at Ellis Lake

Ellis Lake appears to be experiencing a new outbreak of avian botulism, Marysville police said Saturday. The police and public works departments have responded to multiple calls of dead and dying ducks around the lake in the last week, police said in a statement.

... The toxin is not uncommon in the area, and it tends to be widespread in areas with an overpopulation of ducks, police said. Warmer weather is a precursor of the toxin, but the toxin does not reflect the water quality.

... In June and July 2010, more than 30 dead ducks were spotted at the lake, with botulism believed to be the cause.

Appeal Democrat.com - www.appeal-democrat.com

28 Apr 2012

A Gebb

Location: Ellis Lake, California, USA - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

White-Nose Syndrome Found In Lookout Mountain Cave

A biologist and volunteers working within the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park collected two tricolored bats in a park cave in Hamilton County, Tennessee, one of which tested positive for white-nose syndrome (WNS).

The Chattanoogan.com - www.chattanoogan.com

02 May 2012

Location: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Tennessee, USA - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Other WNS News

>>> DNR finds no white-nose syndrome in state bats [Wisconsin, USA]

>>> Statewide survey detects no evidence of white nose syndrome in Michigan bats [Michigan, USA]

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Wildlife feels the strain of South Florida's drier-than-usual spring [USA]

Six years after diclofenac ban, vultures struggle for survival [South Asia]

Biodiversity: Biologists solving the chytrid puzzle; new research offers ‘glimmer of hope’ for dwindling amphibians

Virus killed 38 percent of bighorns here in 2005 [Bovine respiratory syncytial virus][California, USA]

State's rabies rate rises [Kansas, USA]

Mutant flu paper is finally published, reveals pandemic potential of wild viruses [Cited Nature journal article HERE]

It Ain't All Bad News

Humpback Whale Shows Amazing Appreciation After Being Saved [Thanks to a Digest reader for sharing this feel-good video] [video 8 min 21 min]

Huh?! That's Interesting!

Wildlife Disease Journal Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Browse complete Digest publication library here.

Synanthropy of Wild Mammals as a Determinant of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Asian–Australasian Region
EcoHealth. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1007/s10393-012-0763-9
Ro McFarlane et al.

Analyzing Disease Risks Associated with Translocations [Essay]
Conservation Biology. 2012. ; [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01839.x
AW Sainsbury and RJ Vaughan-Higgins

Zoonoses Public Health. 2012 May; 59(3)

Some (worms) like it hot: fish parasites grow faster in warmer water, and alter host thermal preferences
Global Change Biology. 2012 May; 18(5): 1540–1548
V Macnab and I Barber

MIGRATORY BEHAVIOR OF BIRDS AFFECTS THEIR COEVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIP WITH BLOOD PARASITES
Evolution. 2012 Mar; 66(3): 740-751. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01470.x
T Jenkins et al.

Myxomatosis in Australia and Europe: a model for emerging infectious diseases
Antiviral Res. 2012 Mar;93(3):387-415. Epub 2012 Feb 8.
PJ Kerr

Comparison of Flu Viruses in Wildlife and Humans [pdf]
National Wildlife Disease Program: Program Activity Report
23 April 2012

Veterinary Pathology - May 2012
Volume 49, Number 3

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms - April 2012
Volume 98, Number 3

Avian Pathology - 2012
Volume 41, Issue 2

HALI Wildlife Health Handbook: Recognizing, Investigating, and Reporting Diseases of Concern for Wildlife Conservation and Human Health [pdf]

The effect of deer management on the abundance of Ixodes ricinus in Scotland
Ecological Applications 22:658–667. doi: 10.1890/11-0458.1
LGL Gilbert et al.

The Interplay of Plant and Animal Disease in a Changing Landscape: The Role of Sudden Aspen Decline in Moderating Sin Nombre Virus Prevalence in Natural Deer Mouse Populations
EcoHealth. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1007/s10393-012-0765-7
EM Lehmer et al.

The effect of exogenous corticosterone on West Nile virus infection in Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Veterinary Research. 2012; 43:34. doi:10.1186/1297-9716-43-34
JC Owen et al.

Study of influenza A virus in wild boars living in a major duck wintering site
Infect Genet Evol. 2012 Mar;12(2):483-6. Epub 2011 Dec 17.
M Vittecoq et al.

Site-occupancy modelling as a novel framework for assessing test sensitivity and estimating wildlife disease prevalence from imperfect diagnostic tests
Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 2012 Apr; 3(2): 339–348
S Lachish et al.

Simulating devil facial tumour disease outbreaks across empirically derived contact networks
Journal of Applied Ecology. 2012 Apr; 49(2): 447–456. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02103.x
R Hamede et al.

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

White Nose Syndrome Observed in Bats at C&O Canal National Historical Park

White-nose syndrome (WNS) was observed in Washington County, Maryland in an abandoned cement mine owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park during March 2012 bat surveys. Bats from the mine were not submitted for laboratory confirmation; however the disease was confirmed in Maryland-owned mines belonging to the same complex in spring 2011. White fungal growth indicative of WNS was observed on most little brown bats and tricolor bats hibernating in the cement mine.

Surveys conducted in the complex also documented a severe decline in the overall bat population from the previous five year average and the lowest number recorded since regular monitoring was initiated in 1998.

... “While the confirmation of white nose syndrome in the park is not a surprise because of the proximity of the disease discovered in Washington County in 2011, it is still a sad day for the resource,” said Kevin Brandt, Park Superintendent. “We will continue to monitor bat populations in our caves, tunnels and mines, and we hope to minimize WNS affecting other bat habitats outside of our boundaries”

White-nose Syndrome.org - www.whitenosesyndrome.org

24 Apr 2012

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland, USA - Map It

>>> TO PRESS RELEASE

More Bat News

>>> Updated White-nose Syndrome Map - April 20, 2012 [White-nose Syndrome.org]

>>> Michigan bat survey found no sign that deadly white nose syndrome has infiltrated colonies [USA]
Bats may be a common source of many viral diseases [Cited Nature Communications journal article HERE]

Officials: herd of 25 TB-infected wild bison may need to be killed in Poland

A herd of 25 wild European bison infected with tuberculosis should be killed to prevent the disease from spreading to other herds in southeastern Poland, officials said Monday.

A panel of 18 veterinary and breeding experts in Krosno have decided to ask national authorities for permission to kill the rare wild animals living near the village of Stuposiany in the Bieszczady mountains. The panel also suggested that research should start on anti-TB vaccination for bison.

The Washington Post - www.washingtonpost.com (Source: Associated Press)

23 Apr 2012

Location: Stuposiany, Poland - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Rampant weeds giving wombats liver disease

Researchers think they have worked out why illness has been killing high numbers of southern hairy-nosed wombats in the Murraylands in eastern South Australia. Brigitte Stevens from the Wombat Awareness Organisation has documented finding about 2,800 sick wombats in the region.

..."It's not just a skin disease, it's actually a liver disease," Dr Boardman said.The researchers have concluded native grasses have disappeared under pressure from a range of potentially-toxic plants, such as onion weed. "We've found that they've had severely scarred liver as a consequence of eating these plants," Dr Boardman said.

ABC News - www.abc.net

13 Apr 2012

J Hancock

Courtesy of the Australian Wildlife Health Network

Location: Murraylands, South Australia - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Algae Impacting Wildlife In Ohio Lake

Over the last few years toxic algae has been a big problem at Grand Lake Saint Mary's in Northwest Ohio.

... We know the blue-green algae can be deadly if humans ingest it but experts suggest it's causing another problem for wildlife in the water. William DeMott, IPFW Professor says, "The algae is really high and this can lead to low oxygen."

Which could be the reason so many dead fish are washing up on shore. DeMott says it wouldn't matter what type of algae it was, at high enough levels, it all leads to the same problem. Although, the director of the Grand Lake Saint Mary's State Park says the fish aren't being harmed.

Indiana News Center - www.indiananewscenter.com

25 Apr 2012

M Mespell

Location: Grand Lake Saint Mary, Ohio, USA

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More Alga News

>>> Blue-green algae outbreak closes dam [Queensland, Australia]

Scientists warn blackbird virus could return

Germany’s blackbirds are at risk from a new outbreak of a deadly virus this summer, experts have warned, after finding it in mosquitoes that have survived the winter. The Usutu virus was blamed for the deaths of many blackbirds last year, although it was only positively tested in 72 bird cadavers.

... NABU said a recurrence of the virus this year would depend on the weather and would show itself in blackbirds late in spring or summer. It could even be spread to neighbouring areas by the mosquito population.

The infection killed numerous birds last year, mostly in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. Scientists were alerted to the outbreak when reports of dead birds increased in these areas: 86 of the 223 birds tested were found to have the virus, of which 72 were blackbirds

The Local - www.local.de

12 Apr 2012

Location: Germany

>>> FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Photo courtesy of The Guardian's feature, The Week in Wildlife

Whale found dead in Washington had swallowed golf ball: Scientists don’t know what killed the animal [Camano Island - Washington, USA - Map It ]

Baby Dolphin Die-Offs Continue in the Gulf [USA]

Seabirds, a Key Factor in the Dispersal of Parasites [Cited Biology Letters Journal Article HERE]

No end to big fish die-off in Zandvlei [Cape Town, South Africa - Map It

DNR announces CWD measures for northwestern Wisconsin [View past story on the Disease News Map HERE]

Death of waterfowl puts focus on water allocation [View past story on Lower Klamath Refuge bird die-off HERE]

Deadly Frog Fungus at Work in the Wild [Cited PloS ONE journal article HERE]

Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife Legislative Hearing [Archived webcast of hearing includes discussion on the Wildlife Disease Emergency Act of 2011]

River Otter health-check begins[United Kingdom]

Almost Seven Million Birds Perish at Communication Towers in North America Each Year

Rabies News

ProMED Mail: Rabies - Bear, Comment [Virgina, USA]
Rabies cases on the rise in North Dakota this year [USA]

BP Oil Spill News

2 Years Later, Fish Sick Near BP Oil Spill Site
Gulf Spill Pictures: Ten New Studies Show Impact on Coast [National Geographic Daily News]

It Ain't All Bad News

In the Spotlight: Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from WDA Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Nordic Section Quarterly Report of Wildlife Disease Investigation Cases

Wildlife Disease Association (WDA) Newsletter

New development in Trichomonas gallinae epidemic in Finland
By Marja Isomursu, Finnish Food Safety Authority

The avian protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, first emerged in finch populations of Finland, Sweden and Norway in 2008. The parasite quickly spread in Finland and has caused large-scale morbidity and mortality among greenfinches (Carduelis chloris).

So far, trichomonosis in other passerine species has apparently been rare. In January 2012, first reports of trichomonosis-like illness in yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) were received and soon after that, first cases were confirmed by necropsy and isolation of the parasite from the crop.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Nine new outbreaks were confirmed during the following winter months from different parts of the country. All outbreaks were seen in feeding places visited by flocks of yellowhammers.

The reason behind this new epidemiological development could be climatic: December 2011 was the warmest since the emergence of trichomonosis allowing the horizontal spread of freeze-intolerant T. gallinae at feeding places. Yellowhammers form large flocks and visit feeding places in Finland only in winter. This behavior has probably protected the population from the disease up to now. Interestingly, no cases were seen in greenfinches while yellowhammers were dying. The last cases in greenfinches were confirmed in the warm December 2011.

>>> TO FULL APRIL 2012 WDA NEWSLETTER & MORE DISEASE INVESTIGATION CASES [PDF]

>>> TO ALL WDA NEWSLETTERS BACK TO JANUARY 2008

Wildlife Disease Journal Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Browse complete Digest publication library here.

Environmental conditions associated with bat white-nose syndrome mortality in the north-eastern United States
Journal of Applied Ecology. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]
AR Flory et al.

USGS National Wildlife Health Center - Wildlife Quarterly Mortality Reports
October 2011 to December 2011

GeoHealth - Issue 2011/2012 [pdf]
Volume 9, Issue 2
TOC Excerpt

Understanding the Spread of Malaria in Hawaiian Birds
Deadly Bat Disease Caused by Fungus
Beak Deformities in Alaskan Wild Birds
Wildlife Disease at the Urban Fringe
Tracking Avain Influenza Virus in Alaskan Waterfowl
Emerging Fish Virus in Western North America
Coral Reef Disease Hits Kaneohe Bay, Hawai’i
and more...

A Perspective on Modern Pesticides, Pelagic Fish Declines, and Unknown Ecological Resilience in Highly Managed Ecosystems
BioScience. 2012; 62(4): 428-434
NL Scholz et al.

Developmental Exposure to a Toxic Spill Compromises Long-Term Reproductive Performance in a Wild, Long-Lived Bird: The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
PLoS ONE. 2012; 7(4): e34716. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0034716
R Baos et al.

Health status, infection and disease in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) studied using a canine microarray platform and machine-learning approaches
Dev Comp Immunol. 2012 Apr;36(4):629-37. Epub 2011 Oct 31.
A Mancia et al.

Wildlife Research - April 2012
Volume 39, Number 2
Volume 39, Number 3

Wildlife Society Bulletin - March 2012
Volume 36, Issue 01

Emerging Infectious Diseases - May 2012
Volume 18, Number 5

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation - May 2012
Volume 24, Issue 3

The Wildlife Society Newsletter: The Wildlifer - April 2012
Issue 385

The Journal of Wildlife Management - May 2012
Volume 76, Issue 4

Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter - April 2012 [pdf]

Waterbird movement across the Great Dividing Range and implications for arbovirus irruption into southern Victoria
Australian Veterinary Journal. 2012 May; 90(5): 197-198
P-J Guay et al.

Use of toe clips as a nonlethal index of mercury accumulation and maternal transfer in amphibians
Ecotoxicology. 2012 Apr;21(3):882-7. Epub 2012 Jan 17.
BD Todd et al.

Molecular characterization of Hepatozoon spp. infection in endangered Indian wild felids and canids
Veterinary Parasitology. 2012 May 25: 186(3-4): 475-479
RM Pawar et al.

Infection with a Hepatozoon sp. closely related to Hepatozoon felis in a wild Pampas gray fox (Lycalopex – Pseudalopex – gymnocercus) co-infected with canine distemper virus
Veterinary Parasitology. 2012 May 25: 186(3-4): 479-502
F Giannitti et al.

Courtesy of the Australian Wildlife Health Network

Expansion of an Exotic Species and Concomitant Disease Outbreaks: Pigeon Paramyxovirus in Free-Ranging Eurasian Collared Doves
EcoHealth. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]
KL Schuler et al.

Tammar Wallaby Sudden Death Syndrome (TSDS)
Australian Wildlife Health Network - FACT SHEET
2012 Feb 22

>>> TO ALL AWHN FACT SHEETS

Book Releases
Reducing the impacts of development on wildlife

Wildlife techniques manual, volume one: research; volume two: management [Preview on Google Books]

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Thousands of fish die in Rocky River in Cleveland Metroparks

Tens of thousands of fish of all sizes and species have died in the East Branch of the Rocky River in the Cleveland Metroparks since Sunday afternoon, bringing crews from several state agencies to investigate for toxic pollutants, test river waters and document the range of the fish kill.

The dead and dying fish were first reported on Sunday afternoon by a fisherman, who called ... a Division of Wildlife hot line. Wildlife officials contacted the Cleveland Metroparks, who brought in the Ohio EPA and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.

"The range of the fish kill was unbelievable, affecting all types of fish," said aquatic biologist Mike Durkalec of the Cleveland Metroparks, who surveyed the affected areas Rocky River to see if any species of fish survived. Durkalec's list included bass, darters, a wide variety of minnows, rainbow trout and white suckers.

"We still have no idea what caused it," said Durkalec. "We're checking out every possibility."

Cleveland.com - www.cleveland.com [Source: The Plain Dealer]

23 Apr 2012
D Egan

Photo courtesy of Cleveland.com

Location: Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio, USA - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Dying coral's economic ripple in Florida

Topping the list of 56 corals expected to become extinct by the end of the century are five found off South Florida, according to a 581-page study released last week by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

... Without the reefs to break the waves, storm surges would be more catastrophic. South Florida beaches would erode, threatening tourism and beachfront real estate. There would be no fish to support the diving, fishing, boating and restaurant industries. Tens of thousands of workers, from lifeguards to commercial fishermen, would lose their jobs.

"In South Florida the economic impact of the reefs has been estimated at $6 billion annually,"

... The status report examines common threats to coral - storms, ship groundings, nutrient loading, predators such as lionfish - and concluded the most serious threats were ocean warming, disease and ocean acidification caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Palm Beach Post - www.palmbeachpost.com

23 Apr 2012

C Stapleton

Photo courtesy of James H. Nicholson/NOAA

Location: Florida, USA

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Reported Wildlife Mortality Events to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center Updated

USGS and a network of partners across the country work on documenting wildlife mortality events in order to provide timely and accurate information on locations, species and causes of death.

This information was updated on April 17, 2012 on the USGS National Wildlife Health Center web page, New and Ongoing Wildlife Mortality Events Nationwide.

Quarterly Mortality Reports are also available from this page. These reports go back to 1995.

USGS National Wildlife Health Center
23 Apr 2012
Location:USA

>>> Updated Wildlife Mortality Event Table

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Rabid bear attacks in Albemarle; shot dead by victim [Albemarle Cty, Virginia, USA - Map It ]

DEC Reports: 2012 Winter Bat Survey Results [New York, USA]

Clues to Species Decline Buried in Pile of Bird Excrement [Canada]

Saving Centralia Animal Disease Lab [Illinois, USA]

New technology tracks sparrow migration for first time from California to Alaska [Cited journal article HERE]

Dead birds offer learning opportunity for researchers

Parasite Arms Race Spurs Color Change in Bird Eggs

House Passes Wildlife Lead-poisoning Bill Disguised as “Sportsmen’s Heritage Act” [Center for Biological Diversity Press Release]

‘Species gaps’ exist in hunt for diseases that can jump to humans

Extreme Weather News

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:30:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

8 bald eagles die of disease linked to weed

At least eight bald eagles died at Thurmond Lake during the winter and early spring because of an algae-borne neurotoxin linked to the invasive weed hydrilla.

... Ken Boyd, a conservation biologist with the Army Corps of Engineers, said low water levels and unseasonably warm temperatures may have hastened the growth of hydrilla and made existing mats of the invasive weed more accessible to feeding birds.

The eight eagle deaths confirmed at the reservoir this season are down slightly from the previous season, when 11 eagles died.

The Augusta Chronicle - chronicle.augusta.com

18 Aug 2012

R Pavey

Location: Thurmond Lake, Georgia, USA - Map It

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Geese May Be Helping to Spread Frog-Killing Chytrid Fungus

The frog-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the disease chytridiomycosis, has been blamed for about 100 amphibian extinctions around the globe since it was first observed in 1998, but clear information on exactly how it spreads has remained a mystery.

Now a team of scientists working in Belgium have come up with one potential clue: the chytrid fungus may sometimes be carried to new habitats on the toes of waterfowl such as geese.

According to research published April 13 in the journal PLoS One, geese are “potential environmental reservoirs” for the Bd fungus, because waterfowl and amphibians often co-occur in the same habitats. The team studied 497 wild geese—which had been rounded up from six wildlife areas in East Flanders as part of an invasive species eradication program—and found that the keratinous toe scales of 76 of the birds tested positive for Bd. The fungus was present on both species of geese that they tested: invasive Canada geese (Branta Canadensis) and domesticated geese (Anser anser domesticus) that had been living in the wild.

Scientific American - blogs.scientificamerican.com

19 Apr 2012

JR Platt

Photo courtesy of Scientific American

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Green-glowing fish provides new insights into health impacts of pollution

Understanding the damage that pollution causes to both wildlife and human health is set to become much easier thanks to a new green-glowing zebrafish.

Created by a team from the University of Exeter, the fish makes it easier than ever before to see where in the body environmental chemicals act and how they affect health. The fluorescent fish has shown that oestrogenic chemicals, which are already linked to reproductive problems, impact on more parts of the body than previously thought.

The research by the University of Exeter and UCL (University College London) is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Numerous studies have linked ‘endocrine-disrupting’ chemicals, used in a wide range of industrial products and contraceptive pharmaceuticals, to reproductive problems in wildlife and humans. Previous University of Exeter research identified the potential for a major group of ‘these chemicals to cause male fish to change gender. Human exposure to these chemicals, which can alter hormone signalling in the body, has been associated with decreases in sperm count and other health problems, including breast and testicular cancer.

University of Exeter - www.exeter.ac.uk

18 Apr 2012

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More News about the Effects of Pollution

>>> Gulf seafood deformities alarm scientists

>>> 2 years later, fish sick near BP oil spill site

>>> Higher Concentrations of Heavy Metals Found in Post-Oil Spill Oysters from Gulf of Mexico, Experts Say

Killer whales facing an airborne threat

New research shows that killer whales are inhaling bacteria, fungi and viruses once believed to be found only on land. Some of the pathogens are highly virulent. And some are even antibiotic-resistant.

The scientists followed the killer whales by boat, trying to catch the precise moment the animals broke the surface.

Then, using a 25-foot pole strung with petri dishes, researchers leaned out and gathered samples of the moist exhaled air that shot like a geyser from each whale's blowhole.

For four years a team of researchers gathered these orca breath samples from the waters of Washington and British Columbia. And by comparing them to surface waters and orca death records, the scientists stumbled upon a trend.

The Seattle Times - seattletimes.nwsource.com

19 Apr 2012

C Welch

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Bat populations rebound in NY caves first struck by deadly white-nose syndrome

Researchers found substantially more bats in several caves that were the first ones struck by white-nose syndrome, giving them a glimmer of hope amid a scourge that has killed millions of bats in North America.

Figures released Thursday by the state Department of Environmental Conservation showed notable increases in the number of little brown bats in three out of five upstate New York hibernation caves where scientists first noticed white nose decimating winter bat populations six years ago. The largest cave saw an increase from 1,496 little browns last year to 2,402 this winter.

The Washington Post - www.washingtonpost.com

19 Apr 2012

Location: New York, USA

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Other Wildlife Health Related News

Photo courtesy of The Guardian's feature The Week in Wildlife

Independent report into Gladstone Harbour fish disease blames dredging, port construction [Australia]

Dolphin Catastrophe in Peru Still a Mystery

Mojave Desert kit foxes struck by virus [California, USA]

TB, Wasting Disease Non-Existent In Indiana Deer [USA]

Super Salmonella Bacteria Found

More emaciated elephant seal pups showing up at Marine Mammal Center [California, USA]

It's Not All Bad News

In the Spotlight - Upcoming Wildlife Health Related Meetings

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

IV International Wildlife Management Congress (IWMC)

Durban, South Africa

July 9-12, 2012

The theme of the IV IWMC is Cooperative Wildlife Management across Borders: Learning in the Face of Change. Sub-themes will include:

Human dimensions of wildlife management and conservation (i.e.: conflict, urban, land use)
Professional development and training
Climate change
Wildlife health and disease
Wildlife population management
Trans-border cooperation and conservation
and more....

>>> TO CONFERENCE SITE

2012 International Conference on Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man (INCDNCM)

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

July 22-24, 2012

The meeting will focus on diseases at the animal-human-environment interface.

>>> TO CONFERENCE SITE

International Wildlife Tuberculosis Conference

Kruger National Park, South Africa

September 9 - 12, 2012

This conference will bring together researchers, conservationists and policy makers interested in and concerned with wildlife tuberculosis throughout the world.

>>> TO CONFERENCE SITE

Learn about Other Upcoming Meetings and Conferences Using the WDIN Event Calendar

Fig 1: Image of WDIN's Event Calendar

If you are interested in staying current on upcoming wildlife disease related meetings, visit the WDIN's searchable Event Calendar.

Users can browse month-by-month or search for specific meetings. Click on a meeting title and get information directly from the conference web site.

You can also view these calendar events on the Digest's Professional Announcement webpage as a list (see figure 2 below).

>>>TO CALENDAR

Get Calendar Information Delivered to YOU

Fig 2: Calendar information available from the Digest's
Professional Announcement webpage. Click on link highlighted with red box

Upcoming Meetings and Events
For those who use RSS readers, like Google Reader or Bloglines, WDIN provides the RSS feed, 'Upcoming Meetings and Events'. Subscribers are notified of upcoming meetings scheduled out over an 6 month period. You can subscribe here.

Non-RSS users can get the same information delivered to their email. Click here to start your email subscription.

Just Added Meetings and Events
Do you want to know what has just been added to the WDIN calender? Then, you will want to sign up for the 'Just Added Meetings and Events' feed. RSS users subscribe here. Email users you are not to be left out, you can sign up here to subscribe.

Did We Miss an Important Meeting?
If you notice that our calendar is missing an important meeting, please email the meeting url to us at digest@wdin.org and if it fits into the scope of wildlife health we will add it.

Wildlife Disease Journal Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Browse complete Digest publication library here.

The Wildlife Professional - Spring 2012
Disease Package [TOC below]

Facing Disease Head-On
In a World Dominated by Parasites
"One Health" Drives Wildlife Vets
Why Focus on Disease?
Transformation through Time: How wildlife disease became a focus of conservation
Ills in the Pipeline: Emerging infectious diseases and wildlife
The Art of Chemical Capture
Lethal Jump from Wildlife to Humans
When Marine Ecosystems Fall Ill
Sylvatic Plague Vaccine
Role of Policy in Fighting Disease

Avian influenza in shorebirds: experimental infection of ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres) with avian influenza virus
Influenza Other Respi Viruses. 2012 Apr 12. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2012.00358.x. [Epub ahead of print]
JS Hall et al.

Respiratory tract versus cloacal sampling of migratory ducks for influenza A viruses: are both ends relevant?
Influenza Other Respi Viruses. 2012 Mar 28. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2012.00359.x. [Epub ahead of print]
S Krauss et al.

High Prevalence and Lineage Diversity of Avian Malaria in Wild Populations of Great Tits (Parus major) and Mosquitoes (Culex pipiens)
PLoS ONE. 2012; 7(4): e34964.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0034964
O Glaizot et al.

From superspreaders to disease hotspots: linking transmission across hosts and space
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2012; 10: 75–82. doi:10.1890/110111
SH Paull et al.

Exposure of black-legged kittiwakes to Lyme disease spirochetes: dynamics of the immune status of adult hosts and effects on their survival
J Anim Ecol. 2012 Mar 19. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2012.01979.x. [Epub ahead of print]
T Chambert et al.

Segmental configuration and putative origin of the reassortant orbivirus, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 6, strain Indiana
Virology. 2012 Mar 1;424(1):67-75. Epub 2012 Jan 9.
AB Allison et al.

Bats at risk? Bat activity and insecticide residue analysis of food items in an apple orchardEnivornmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 2012; [Epub ahead of print]
P Stahlschmidt et al.

Molecular crosstalk between a chemical and a biological stressor and consequences on disease manifestation in rainbow trout
Aquat Toxicol. 2012 Mar 3. [Epub ahead of print]
R Burki et al.

Deer as a potential wildlife reservoir for Parachlamydia species
Vet J. 2012 Mar 26. [Epub ahead of print]
N Regenscheit et al.

Predicting Wild Hosts for Amphibian Chytridiomycosis: Integrating Host Life-History Traits with Pathogen Environmental Requirements
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal. 2012; 18(1):200-224. doi:10.1080/10807039.2012.632310
KA Murraya and LF Skerrattb

No evidence for transmission of Escherichia coli antibiotic resistant strains from humans to wild western lowland gorillas in Lope National Park, Gabon
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2012 Apr 6. [Epub ahead of print]
J Benavides et al.

Effects of Vulture Declines on Facultative Scavengers and Potential Implications for Mammalian Disease Transmission
Conserv Biol. 2012 Mar 22. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01827.x. [Epub ahead of print]
DL Ogada et al.

Species diversity reduces parasite infection through cross-generational effects on host abundance
Ecology. 2012; 93:56–64. doi: 10.1890/11-0636.1
PTJ Johnson et al.

Articles Courtesy of the Australian Wildlife Heath Network

Live-trapping and bovine tuberculosis testing of free-ranging white-tailed deer for targeted removal
Wildlife Research. 2012: 39(2) 104-111 doi: 10.1071/WR11147
MK Cosgrove et al.

Emerging fungal threats to animal, plant and ecosystem health
Nature. 2012 Apr 12; 484: 186–194. doi:10.1038/nature10947
MC Fisher et al.

Froglog: Conservation news for the herpetological community - March 2012 [pdf]
Volume 101

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Wildlife Data Integration Network [WDIN]) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

TOP STORIES

Testing for diseases could soon become quicker, portable

Soon, a simple drop of blood and a few minutes may be all that is needed to determine if someone has a disease, thanks to two researchers at the University of Tennessee who have developed a portable device that detects pathogens in humans and animals.

Jayne Wu, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering, and Shigetoshi Eda, associate professor of forestry, wildlife and fisheries at the UT Institute of Agriculture Center for Wildlife Health, have been collaborating on the project for about two years, according to Eda.

The device has been able to successfully detect tuberculosis in people and animals, as well as Johne's disease in cattle.

Standard-Examiner - www.standard.net

10 Apr 201

A Osborne

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Reptiles, Amphibians in US Succumbing to Deadly Ranavirus

Since the mid 1990s, a type of virus known as a ranavirus has been taking a devastating toll on reptiles and amphibians -- especially turtles, frogs, toads and salamanders -- in more than 20 states across the U.S. Hundreds of thousands of these animals have died from the lethal virus and the disease continues to spread. Scientists are stepping up their efforts to better understand and combat the pathogen.

A few years ago, Scott Farnsworth, a graduate student at Towson University in Maryland, was sent to a wooded park in Maryland to relocate box turtles safely away from a new highway.

Farnsworth and his team tagged 100 turtles with radio transmitters. But then the reptiles started turning up dead. And not just turtles. They began seeing massive die-offs of toads, young frogs called tadpoles and salamanders. Lab analyses showed the culprit was the ranavirus, a class of viruses that mostly infect cold blooded animals.

Voice of America

13 Apr 2012

Z Palacio

Location: Maryland, USA

>>> FULL ARTICLE

More Fungal Disease News

>>> Fungus threat escalates for food, wildlife: scientists

>>> White-nose syndrome for bats is a matter of "when" for Wisconsin [USA]

>>> Forest Service considers opening bat caves

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS