Watertown Moose had Rare Parasitic Infection
NewsWatch 50 WWTI Watertown
3 Oct 2006
The bull moose that died after being captured in Watertown suffered from a rare parasite that can be dangerous to humans. "This is a real warning that something is up," State D.E.C. Wildlife Pathologist Dr. Ward Stone told NewsWatch50.
He said the parasite, a tapeworm named echinococcus granulosus has been seen only once before in New York State, in a deer along the Southern Tier. The parasite can be spread through the feces of dogs and coyotes to cattle and other bovine. Humans are also susceptible and may require surgery as treatment, Dr. Stone said.
"This has public health implications," Dr. Stone said. He said the D.E.C. will be watching more closely for other cases among the state's moose and deer population. He said the moose had other serious health problems as well. "I think the winter would have taken him out," Dr. Stone said.
NewsWatch 50 WWTI Watertown
3 Oct 2006
The bull moose that died after being captured in Watertown suffered from a rare parasite that can be dangerous to humans. "This is a real warning that something is up," State D.E.C. Wildlife Pathologist Dr. Ward Stone told NewsWatch50.
He said the parasite, a tapeworm named echinococcus granulosus has been seen only once before in New York State, in a deer along the Southern Tier. The parasite can be spread through the feces of dogs and coyotes to cattle and other bovine. Humans are also susceptible and may require surgery as treatment, Dr. Stone said.
"This has public health implications," Dr. Stone said. He said the D.E.C. will be watching more closely for other cases among the state's moose and deer population. He said the moose had other serious health problems as well. "I think the winter would have taken him out," Dr. Stone said.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Lethal Strain of Avian Influenza Not Detected in New York or North America
Empire Information Services
3 Oct 2006
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced that DEC and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services program are working cooperatively to sample wild birds for the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). To date, all birds sampled have tested negative for HPAI.
DEC and USDA are working towards a goal of sampling 1,600 normal, healthy wild birds in New York State this year and to date have sampled 544 birds. Excluding Hawaii, this initiative is part of a nationwide effort to sample wild birds in all states. The sampling focuses on waterfowl, including Canada geese, mallards, and mute swans; but also includes other waterfowl as well as many species of gulls and shorebirds.
In addition to the sampling of normal, healthy wild birds, DEC's Wildlife Pathology Unit has submitted samples from more than 1,000 birds of various species that were sick or found dead and had been submitted to the Unit for diagnosis. New York State Department of Health and Department of Agriculture and Markets have both partnered in the State's overall flu preparedness through their testing and monitoring efforts.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
West Nile Surveillance Ends Oct. 18 Health Unit
Brockville Recorder and Times
3 Oct 2006
Nick Gardiner
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties continue to be spared of any human cases of West Nile virus. With a little over two weeks remaining in the tri-county health unit's annual surveillance program, local health officials are looking at another year with little local impact from the mosquito-borne virus that may cause encephalitis and death in humans.
Nineteen dead crows and blue jays were submitted for testing to the health unit this summer and only one crow found near Smiths Falls in Rideau Lakes Township in August came up positive for West Nile virus. Those are the exact same numbers for 2005 with 15 days to go before the surveillance program goes on its seasonal hiatus Oct. 18.
On that date, the health unit will no longer submit crows and blue jays to federal inspectors to test for West Nile virus. However, reports of large die-offs of migratory birds and suitable specimens will be reported to the Canadian Wildlife Cooperative in Guelph as part of the avian flu surveillance program, said Jane Lyster, director of health protection.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Fairfax Tops State with Rabies Cases
The Fairfax County Times
3 Oct 2006
Layla Wilder
Fairfax County has seen significantly more cases of rabies than any other Virginia locality in the past year. There have been 37 known outbreaks in Fairfax County in 2006, mostly in raccoons. Fauquier County is a distant second with 23 cases. Suzanne Jenkins, a veterinary epidemiology consultant with the Virginia Department of Health, shared that and other information about rabies at a forum hosted in Centreville last week.
About 60 people attended, including animal control officers, nurses and physicians from throughout Northern Virginia. The high number of local rabies cases, which has been increasing steadily, just means the disease is being better identified, according to Earl Hodnett, a Fairfax County wildlife biologist.
"We test more than any county in the state," he said. "We also have more people than any other county in the state, which increases the opportunity for people to discover rabid animals." Many health care workers attended the forum because patients have been expressing concerns about rabies to them, said Michele Kovalcik, a nurse at Inova Loudoun Hospital.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Leptospirosis: a Re-emerging Scourge
The Times Herald-Record
4 Oct 2006
Leptospirosis, an ancient bacterial disease that was spread primarily by rats at one time, appears to be making a comeback in these modern times in the nation's population of domestic animals. During the 1980s, the incidence of leptospirosis in house pets had gotten very low, primarily because of the development of a vaccine.
But in the last few years several cases have been reported in our region. The incidence is on the rise, in part because when veterinarians saw it as a decreased threat, they didn't want to overvaccinate. As a result, we now have many unprotected pets. In fact, leptospirosis is now a leading cause of acute renal failure in dogs.
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by spiral-shaped bacteria called leptospires, which are transmitted via the urine of an infected animal. The disease occurs worldwide and can affect humans as well as many wild and domestic animals, including dogs and cats (although cases in cats are rare).
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Lethal Strain of Avian Influenza Not Detected in New York or North America
Empire Information Services
3 Oct 2006
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced that DEC and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services program are working cooperatively to sample wild birds for the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). To date, all birds sampled have tested negative for HPAI.
DEC and USDA are working towards a goal of sampling 1,600 normal, healthy wild birds in New York State this year and to date have sampled 544 birds. Excluding Hawaii, this initiative is part of a nationwide effort to sample wild birds in all states. The sampling focuses on waterfowl, including Canada geese, mallards, and mute swans; but also includes other waterfowl as well as many species of gulls and shorebirds.
In addition to the sampling of normal, healthy wild birds, DEC's Wildlife Pathology Unit has submitted samples from more than 1,000 birds of various species that were sick or found dead and had been submitted to the Unit for diagnosis. New York State Department of Health and Department of Agriculture and Markets have both partnered in the State's overall flu preparedness through their testing and monitoring efforts.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
West Nile Surveillance Ends Oct. 18 Health Unit
Brockville Recorder and Times
3 Oct 2006
Nick Gardiner
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties continue to be spared of any human cases of West Nile virus. With a little over two weeks remaining in the tri-county health unit's annual surveillance program, local health officials are looking at another year with little local impact from the mosquito-borne virus that may cause encephalitis and death in humans.
Nineteen dead crows and blue jays were submitted for testing to the health unit this summer and only one crow found near Smiths Falls in Rideau Lakes Township in August came up positive for West Nile virus. Those are the exact same numbers for 2005 with 15 days to go before the surveillance program goes on its seasonal hiatus Oct. 18.
On that date, the health unit will no longer submit crows and blue jays to federal inspectors to test for West Nile virus. However, reports of large die-offs of migratory birds and suitable specimens will be reported to the Canadian Wildlife Cooperative in Guelph as part of the avian flu surveillance program, said Jane Lyster, director of health protection.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Fairfax Tops State with Rabies Cases
The Fairfax County Times
3 Oct 2006
Layla Wilder
Fairfax County has seen significantly more cases of rabies than any other Virginia locality in the past year. There have been 37 known outbreaks in Fairfax County in 2006, mostly in raccoons. Fauquier County is a distant second with 23 cases. Suzanne Jenkins, a veterinary epidemiology consultant with the Virginia Department of Health, shared that and other information about rabies at a forum hosted in Centreville last week.
About 60 people attended, including animal control officers, nurses and physicians from throughout Northern Virginia. The high number of local rabies cases, which has been increasing steadily, just means the disease is being better identified, according to Earl Hodnett, a Fairfax County wildlife biologist.
"We test more than any county in the state," he said. "We also have more people than any other county in the state, which increases the opportunity for people to discover rabid animals." Many health care workers attended the forum because patients have been expressing concerns about rabies to them, said Michele Kovalcik, a nurse at Inova Loudoun Hospital.
>>>FULL ARTICLE
Leptospirosis: a Re-emerging Scourge
The Times Herald-Record
4 Oct 2006
Leptospirosis, an ancient bacterial disease that was spread primarily by rats at one time, appears to be making a comeback in these modern times in the nation's population of domestic animals. During the 1980s, the incidence of leptospirosis in house pets had gotten very low, primarily because of the development of a vaccine.
But in the last few years several cases have been reported in our region. The incidence is on the rise, in part because when veterinarians saw it as a decreased threat, they didn't want to overvaccinate. As a result, we now have many unprotected pets. In fact, leptospirosis is now a leading cause of acute renal failure in dogs.
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by spiral-shaped bacteria called leptospires, which are transmitted via the urine of an infected animal. The disease occurs worldwide and can affect humans as well as many wild and domestic animals, including dogs and cats (although cases in cats are rare).
>>>FULL ARTICLE
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