Wildlife Disease News Digest

TOP STORIES

Evidence of rare bat disease found in WV
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - www.wvpubcast.org/
03 Feb 2009
E Corio
Area: Pendleton County, West Virginia - Map It

Bats are dying at alarming rates in New England states due to white-nose syndrome. Now the syndrome may be affecting bats in at least one West Virginia cave in Pendleton County. Merlin Tuttle is founder and president of Bat Conservation International. He says white-nose syndrome was first discovered in New York two years ago and it has since spread to several northeastern states. "This winter it has made major jumps, well into Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and although it hasn't yet been fully confirmed that it's in West Virginia, a picture taken of two endangered Indiana bats with white noses appears to be very strong and convincing evidence that it has arrived in West Virginia," Tuttle said.

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China’s Drought May Make Birds More Susceptible to Avian Flu
Bloomberg - www.bloomberg.com
04 Feb 2009
W Bi and J Liu
Area: China

A drought in northern China that has limited drinking water to almost 4 million people may also be making birds more susceptible to the deadly H5N1 avian-flu strain. The lack of rainfall in Shandong, Shaanxi and other northern provinces since October causes stress for local fowl, said Hong Kong Veterinary Association President Veronica Leong, who specializes in birds. “Any sort of stress would make birds more susceptible to disease,” she said by e-mail today. Bird flu killed five people in China last month, three of whom were from regions experiencing drought. Lo Wing-Lok, a health adviser to the Hong Kong government, said yesterday China has an outbreak of bird flu among poultry that its government hasn’t reported.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related News
>>>B.C. bird flu is H5N2, likely "low-path"

February Science Picks -- Leads, Feeds and Story Seeds
USGS Newsroom - www.usgs.gov/newsroom
04 Feb 2009

Wildlife Related Highlights

Airport Runway Deicers Impact on the Environment Greater Than Previously Thought
Risky Behavior and Diet Diversity Can Make Sea Otters Sick
Results of Landmark Montana Grizzly Bear Study Published

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Four dead birds test positive for West Nile virus
SignOnSanDiego - www3.signonsandiego.com
03 Feb 2009
Area: San Diego County, California, USA - Map It

Four dead birds discovered around San Diego County have tested positive for West Nile virus, health officials announced today. "Despite the cold weather, mosquitoes are still spreading West Nile virus to our local birds,'' said Gary Erbeck, director of the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. The three American crows and one red-shouldered hawk, the first dead birds discovered in San Diego County with West Nile virus this year, were found in Poway, San Marcos and Sorrento Valley, according to the DEH. According to the DEH, neglected "green'' swimming pools at foreclosed properties continue to provide prime breeding grounds for mosquitos.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

National HPAI Early Detection Data System (HEDDS) Update
NBII Wildlife Disease Information Node
04 Feb 2009
Area: United States

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Early Detection Data System (HEDDS) is an avian influenza data sharing repository. NBII and a network of partners across the nation have created HEDDS to hold data from different surveillance strategies and to provide a comprehensive view of national sampling efforts.

Recent HEDDS Activity

Jan 30, 2009: 44 samples and tests were added to HEDDS for 2008. Total is now 75,792.
Jan 23, 2009: 345 samples and tests were added to HEDDS for 2008. Total is now 75,748.
Jan 16, 2009: 298 samples and tests were added to HEDDS for 2008. Total is now 75,403.

>>>HEDDS' LPAI H5N1 Results Table
>>>For more about HEDDS

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo credit: NewScientist - www.newscientist.com