Wildlife Disease News Digest

TOP STORIES

A different kind of bat trouble Disease threatens endangered species
The Daily News Online - www.newburyportnews.com
25 Jul 2008
M Graham

Bats across the Northeast have been turning up dead, leaving concerned officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate why. The suspected cause is a mysterious condition dubbed White Nose Syndrome — and it is primarily affecting the little brown bat, a species found throughout the U.S. Susi VonOettingen, an endangered species biologist with the fish and wildlife service, will delve into the disease next month at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center in Newburyport. The presentation is part of the Friends of Parker River Coffeehouse and Lecture Series.

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Dead Cat to Be Examined for Bird Flu
The Korea Times - www.koreatimes.co.kr
24 Jul 2008
B Ji-sook
Area: South Korea - Map It

Quarantine authorities are examining a cat to discover whether it was infected with the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza that swept the country in April. The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service said Thursday that a cat was found dead in April in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, right next to a farm where bird flu killed tens of thousands of chickens. The research team said there is a possibility that the mammal ate or touched the sick chickens, contracted the disease and died. The result will be disclosed next week.

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Vet: Elk likely source of Mont. livestock disease
Casper Star-Tribune - www.trib.com
25 Jul 2008
M Brown

DNA testing points to elk as the most likely source of a recent livestock disease infection near Yellowstone National Park, according to a federal report. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that causes cows to prematurely abort their young. Efforts to guard against its transmission -- largely through periodic slaughters of Yellowstone bison -- have proven ineffective: Seven cases have been confirmed in recent years in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. The disease has been eradicated elsewhere in the country.

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Results in from Lake Bonney fish kill
ABC News - www.abc.net.au
24 Jul 2008
Area: Barmera, Australia - Map It

An investigation into the deaths of hundreds of bony bream fish found dead at Lake Bonney at Barmera in South Australia has returned an inconclusive result. Vic Neverauskas, of Primary Industries, says tests were done for bacteria and disease, but came up negative. He says the fish deaths is presumed to be because of cold weather. "This is consistent with our expectations from the outset, that we know that the bony bream are sensitive to water temperatures," he said.

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