Wildlife Disease News Digest

Behind the Scenes: Predicting the Next Major Virus
Live Science - www.livescience.com
28 Mar 2007
A Ramos
Image Courtesy of Nature

In a paper published in February by the leading scientific journal Nature, scientists >at the Consortium for Conservation Medicine (CCM) Wildlife Trust New York, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Columbia University (New York) and the University of Georgia announced a major breakthrough in the understanding of what causes diseases like HIV/AIDS and SARS to emerge, and how to further predict and prevent future devastating pandemics by plotting a global map of "Disease Hotspots."

Collaborating author Peter Daszak, Executive Director of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine at Wildlife Trust, tells us why this research is so important. Here is part of his interview.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related Link
>>>Listen to the interview

Antibiotic Resistance in Wild American Bison Compared With That of Farm Cattle
ScienceDaily - www.sciencedaily.com
28 Mar 2008

The first ever study of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in free-living American bison finds resistance rates, while relatively low, are still higher than expected. The researchers from Kansas State University report their findings in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Currently, over 50% of antibiotic use in the United States is attributed to the animal industry. As antibiotic resistance continues to rise researchers have extensively studied the link between humans and farm animals, however little is known about the spread of antibiotic resistance in wild animal populations.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Cited Journal Article
Antibiotic resistance of enterococci in American bison (Bison bison) from a nature preserve compared to that of enterococci in pastured cattle. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2008; 74(6): 1726-1730.

Swiss find H5N1 in wild duck; India has new outbreak
CIDRAP - www.cidrap.umn.edu
27 Mar 2008

Animal health officials in Switzerland today said samples from an asymptomatic duck were positive for H5N1 avian influenza, as officials in India announced a poultry outbreak in another district in West Bengal state.

Switzerland's Federal Veterinary Office today said the virus was found in a duck on Sempachersee Lake, northwest of Lucerne in the central part of the country, according to a report from Reuters. Switzerland hasn't reported any infected birds in nearly 2 years, according to past reports from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Animal health officials said the wild duck was a European pochard, according to Swissinfo, a Swiss Broadcasting Corp. Web news service. Authorities said an analysis of the H5N1 virus showed that it resembled strains found in other European birds in 2007.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

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Rabies total highest in 25 years
The Stafford County Sun - www.staffordcountysun.com
27 Mar 2008
D Stegon
Area: Virginia, USA

There were 730 cases of rabies reported to the Virginia Department of Health last year - the state's highest total in 25 years. "You may be inclined to help a stray domestic animal or a sick, injured, or orphaned wild animal, but the animal could be infected with rabies," Karen Remley, a state health commissioner, said in a released statement.

"Feeding, picking up, or taking in such an animal could put you, your family, and your pets at risk of rabies." Raccoons were the most common species with the disease last year with 359 cases. There were 36 reported cases with cats and only five for dogs. The state's number is the highest since 1982 when there were 745 reported cases.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

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Anthrax outbreak in Northern Cape
iafrica - iafrica.com
27 Mar 2008
Area: Northern Cape, Africa

The Northern Cape agriculture department has called in experts from the Kruger National Park to assist with an anthrax outbreak in the province, SABC news reported on Wednesday. The outbreak was affecting wildlife and live stock in the Campbell area, 100 kilometres away from Kimberley.

Department spokesperson Thabo Mothibi said some farmers were experiencing losses of up to 400 animals. He urged farmers to vaccinate their high valued species. "Once there is an indication that a particular animal may have died from anthrax, or an anthrax-related disease, the best thing to do would be to get into contact with the nearest state veterinarian or animal technician.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related News
>>>Anthrax, livestock, wildlife - South Afr ica: (Northern Cape)

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