Bovine TB Spreads in South Africa's Kruger Park Buffalo
Reuters
13 Sep 2006
Photo Courtesy of Reuters
Bovine tuberculosis, an infectious disease mostly confined to cattle but now threatening wildlife around the world, is spreading among buffalo in South Africa's Kruger National Park, an official said on Wednesday.
Tests confirm more of the famed park's estimated 32,000 buffalo have contracted the chronic wasting disease. Other animals, including lions, leopards and hyenas, may also be infected through consumption of infected prey.
"It has increased and we have picked up signs of the disease in the north (part of the park)," said Raymond Travers, spokesman for Kruger, one of the continent's premier wildlife reserves.
>>>FULL ARTICLE AND MAP
Hotline Monitors Dead Birds for Avian Flu Virus: Birds Will be Tested for Virus in Certain Cases
The Banner
12 Sep 2006
Ashley Goodfellow
West Nile Virus surveillance will be wrapping up this week after a "pretty quiet" season; however, residents are still encouraged to take note of dead birds for a new Avian flu hotline.
The hotline, which will replace the West Nile Virus hotline, will monitor the presence of dead birds and possibly test for the H5N1 strain of the virus. It is run by the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre though an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Chris Good, a veterinarian in Guelph who helps staff the hotline, says residents should call if they notice any suspicious dead birds -- particularly water fowl or large groups of dead birds. "It's fairly broad right now," he says. "We're casting the net quite wide."
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Garden Finches Fall Prey to Deadly Virus
The Times Online
13 Sep 2006
Valerie Elliott
Hundreds of finches, including greenfinches and chaffinches, are being wiped out by a deadly disease spreading throughout Britain. Wildlife vets are investigating the outbreaks across England, Scotland and Wales, after scores of reports from birdwatchers and householders about mysterious bird deaths in their gardens.
Experts believe that the scale of the deaths could be much higher than the cases reported, which appear to be concentrated mainly in the South West and Midlands. The disease, known as trichomoniasis, poses no threat to human health and is not connected to avian flu. But infected birds suffer a painful death lasting many days or even weeks.
The parasite is transmitted through water, infects the throat and crop of the birds, which then dribble saliva. They also regurgitate food and have difficulty swallowing and breathing. The birds show signs of general illness such as fluffed-up plumage and become so lethargic that they find it hard to fly.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Avian Influenza Tests Complete on Maryland Resident Wild Mallard Ducks
United States Department of Agriculture
12 Sep 2006
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced final test results, which confirm that an H5N1 avian influenza virus detected in fecal samples collected last month from resident wild mallard ducks in Maryland is a low pathogenic subtype. This strain has been detected several times in wild birds in North America and poses no threat to human health.
The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of the "North American strain" of low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza through virus isolation in samples collected from the resident wild mallards in Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
Test results announced on September 1 indicated that an H5N1 avian influenza subtype was present in nine of the collected samples, but further testing was necessary to confirm pathogenicity. As previously announced, genetic testing ruled out the possibility that the samples carried the specific highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 avian influenza that is circulating overseas.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Disease Article Piques State Wildlife Officials
Jackson Hole News and Guide
13 Sep 2006
Cory Hatch
Critique of brucellosis efforts mixes speculation and old news, they say.
Wildlife officials say a review article criticizing Wyoming brucellosis management techniques doesn’t take into account political necessities and interjects opinion into a document that should be factual.
The article, printed by the Ecological Society of America in the journal Frontiers in Ecology, stated that Wyoming Game and Fish, in particular, does not manage brucellosis in elk and bison based on fundamental principals of disease ecology.
The article pointed out that feed grounds promote the disease, raised questions about the efficacy of test and slaughter, and stated that vaccination, especially in elk, is largely ineffective.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Reuters
13 Sep 2006
Photo Courtesy of Reuters
Bovine tuberculosis, an infectious disease mostly confined to cattle but now threatening wildlife around the world, is spreading among buffalo in South Africa's Kruger National Park, an official said on Wednesday.
Tests confirm more of the famed park's estimated 32,000 buffalo have contracted the chronic wasting disease. Other animals, including lions, leopards and hyenas, may also be infected through consumption of infected prey.
"It has increased and we have picked up signs of the disease in the north (part of the park)," said Raymond Travers, spokesman for Kruger, one of the continent's premier wildlife reserves.
>>>FULL ARTICLE AND MAP
Hotline Monitors Dead Birds for Avian Flu Virus: Birds Will be Tested for Virus in Certain Cases
The Banner
12 Sep 2006
Ashley Goodfellow
West Nile Virus surveillance will be wrapping up this week after a "pretty quiet" season; however, residents are still encouraged to take note of dead birds for a new Avian flu hotline.
The hotline, which will replace the West Nile Virus hotline, will monitor the presence of dead birds and possibly test for the H5N1 strain of the virus. It is run by the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre though an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Chris Good, a veterinarian in Guelph who helps staff the hotline, says residents should call if they notice any suspicious dead birds -- particularly water fowl or large groups of dead birds. "It's fairly broad right now," he says. "We're casting the net quite wide."
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Garden Finches Fall Prey to Deadly Virus
The Times Online
13 Sep 2006
Valerie Elliott
Hundreds of finches, including greenfinches and chaffinches, are being wiped out by a deadly disease spreading throughout Britain. Wildlife vets are investigating the outbreaks across England, Scotland and Wales, after scores of reports from birdwatchers and householders about mysterious bird deaths in their gardens.
Experts believe that the scale of the deaths could be much higher than the cases reported, which appear to be concentrated mainly in the South West and Midlands. The disease, known as trichomoniasis, poses no threat to human health and is not connected to avian flu. But infected birds suffer a painful death lasting many days or even weeks.
The parasite is transmitted through water, infects the throat and crop of the birds, which then dribble saliva. They also regurgitate food and have difficulty swallowing and breathing. The birds show signs of general illness such as fluffed-up plumage and become so lethargic that they find it hard to fly.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Avian Influenza Tests Complete on Maryland Resident Wild Mallard Ducks
United States Department of Agriculture
12 Sep 2006
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced final test results, which confirm that an H5N1 avian influenza virus detected in fecal samples collected last month from resident wild mallard ducks in Maryland is a low pathogenic subtype. This strain has been detected several times in wild birds in North America and poses no threat to human health.
The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of the "North American strain" of low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza through virus isolation in samples collected from the resident wild mallards in Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
Test results announced on September 1 indicated that an H5N1 avian influenza subtype was present in nine of the collected samples, but further testing was necessary to confirm pathogenicity. As previously announced, genetic testing ruled out the possibility that the samples carried the specific highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 avian influenza that is circulating overseas.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Disease Article Piques State Wildlife Officials
Jackson Hole News and Guide
13 Sep 2006
Cory Hatch
Critique of brucellosis efforts mixes speculation and old news, they say.
Wildlife officials say a review article criticizing Wyoming brucellosis management techniques doesn’t take into account political necessities and interjects opinion into a document that should be factual.
The article, printed by the Ecological Society of America in the journal Frontiers in Ecology, stated that Wyoming Game and Fish, in particular, does not manage brucellosis in elk and bison based on fundamental principals of disease ecology.
The article pointed out that feed grounds promote the disease, raised questions about the efficacy of test and slaughter, and stated that vaccination, especially in elk, is largely ineffective.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
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