In the Spotlight: Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from Wildlife Disease Association

A Wildlife Disease Investigation Case from the Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter
January 2013 Issue

Rabid Wolverine in Alaska
Adapted from report written by Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, AK Dept of Fish and Game


The first recorded case of rabies in a wolverine (Gulo gulo) in North America was diagnosed this summer by Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation (ADFG DWC) Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen.

Photo Credit: Steve Kroschel / FWS

The wolverine was found dead in June 2012 by ADFG wildlife biologists while flying a helicopter northwest of Umiat on the North Slope of AlaskaClick link to view location on GeoNames]. The frozen carcass was completely intact, with no scavenging or visible signs of trauma, so it was flown to Fairbanks for necropsy. The wolverine had a recent, non-fatal wolf bite to the masseter muscle of the jaw.

The diagnosis was made possible through an expanded rabies surveillance initiative in Alaska that allows screening of large numbers of wildlife specimens via the dRIT (direct rapid immunohistochemical test) method. The Centers for Disease Control recently confirmed the wolverine was suffering from an arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) strain of rabies.

Rabies is endemic in arctic fox only along Alaska’s coast but frequently spills over to red fox, sometimes in epidemic numbers of cases. In the past two years ADFG has tested more than 600 animals, including hundreds of foxes, more than 100 wolves, 19 bats and four wolverines. Of the samples tested, 2.8 percent tested positive for rabies, representing foxes exclusively with the exception of this one wolverine.

Source: WDA Newsletter - January 2013 Issue [pdf]

>>> TO NEWSLETTER [pdf]

>>> TO ALL WDA NEWSLETTERS 

Is Your Wildlife Health Organization Doing Interesting Wildlife Disease Related Research? Go Ahead - Toot Your Own Horn!

Do you want to use the Wildlife Disease News Digest to share information about interesting wildlife disease research happening within your organization/agencies? Email the details or links to the description of the research (e.g. annual reports, web pages, newsletters, and press releases) to us at digest@wdin.org.

If it fits the scope of the Digest (i.e. related to wildlife disease), we will feature it in a future post. Your fellow Digest readers are very interested to hear from you!

In the Spotlight - Recent case study: Role of public reports in Dovekie strandings on Long Island, Suffolk County, New York – December 2012

The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center, http://www.wildliferescuecenter.org, a full-time wildlife hospital located in Hampton Bays, New York, began receiving calls from the public admitting dovekie cases in early December. The birds recovered were found scattered across Long Island, New York, in Suffolk County (see map created with WHER GeoRSS feed from NY). Historically, the Rescue Center tends to receive a few of these birds in December/January after harsh weather conditions, although a small number have also been oiled. A total of four birds were admitted in 2011, ten in 2010, and three in 2009.

Dovekie recovering at Rescue Center.

Dr. Bethany Rottner, a veterinarian with the Rescue Center, described what the clinic was seeing recently. “In 2012, we admitted 22 dovekies (19 birds in December) which seem to be a significant rise overall in number. A few local veterinary clinics also received dovekies, but these were typically euthanized with severe traumatic injuries and not transferred to us. Another rehabilitator on Long Island was also receiving birds.” The number of reports of injured and dead dovekies raised enough concern that a local news station picked up the story.

Dr. Rottner described the condition of the birds that were received, “While a number of our cases were found beached on the shoreline, many were found inland in parking lots, fields, or yards. Traumatic wounds, specifically tibiotarsal/tarsometatarsal fractures were very common, as was neurological dysfunction of the legs. We imagine that these occurred after birds made harsh or difficult landings on the ground. For those that were found on the beach, trauma may have been from the pounding surf. Bite wounds and lacerations were also not uncommon, as they possibly fell victim to gulls, cats, and dogs”.

Dovekie recovering at Rescue Center.

As cases began to pour in, their staff began to pay more attention to weather, noting in general that birds tended to appear after a night of heavy winds and rain. In the future, they plan to document adverse weather conditions in more detail to try to determine if there is a relationship between weather conditions and the increase reports of injured/dead aquatic birds, like the dovekie.

In general, aquatic birds are very challenging to rehabilitate, as they require special housing, feeding, and handling since they are so exquisitely adapted to life at sea and not land. Due to these animal care challenges, the Rescue Center was only able to rehabilitate and release one dovekie out of the many admitted in December.

Reaching Out to the Wildlife Health Community

Later in December the dovekie cases continued to arrive at the Rescue Center, so Dr. Rottner notified Seabird Ecological Assessment Network (SEANET), http://seanetters.wordpress.com, a citizen science program that conducts health surveys of beached birds and records information about bird mortality. As relayed by Dr. Rottner, “Sarah Courchesne, SEANET coordinator, recommended I report the cases to the Wildlife Health Event Reporter (WHER). Overall, SEANET felt our assessment appeared accurate that injuries were consistent with traumatic landings”. However, at this time, no one could say whether other factors were also involved in these cases.

Even though the exact cause of the strandings was not determined for this particular wildlife health event, these individual cases were recorded and made available to other wildlife organizations for reference through the Wildlife Health Event Reporter (WHER), http://www.wher.org.

As stated by Dr. Rottner, “Being able to add information to what we already know could enable us to prepare for new cases, better treat patients we have, and notify pertinent authorities or groups should we come across something new. In turn, we may be able to provide information or observations of our own to possibly assist someone else in their work. I believe there is more to be gained from reaching out and asking questions. However, it is difficult to know who to get in touch with, which is when an application like WHER can help.” It can work as a networking tool to connect professional groups, rehabilitators, and citizen science programs, which is vital to gaining a better understanding of wildlife health phenomena.

Sign Up! Get a WHER Account Today! 

An observation that you think is incidental, and sort of gross – the dead raccoon on the side of the road, sickly looking bird at the bird feeder, or the dead dovekie in the parking lot - is actually a very valuable piece of information, but only if you make it known by reporting it.

Let others know what kind of wildlife health events are happening in your community. Sign up for a WHER account today at http://www.whmn.org/wher/users/add and join the effort to spot possible health threats!

A special thanks to Dr. Bethany Rottner for sharing this story with us! 

The Wildlife Rescue
Center logo.

The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the rehabilitation of wild animals impacted by encroachment of humans on their habitat. It is a grass roots organization that grew from a few concerned friends to a group of over 1000 members and supporters. The center is a full-time professional wildlife hospital staffed by licensed rehabilitators, biologists, animal behaviorists and volunteers. For more information about this wildlife rehabilitation organization visit their website at http://www.wildliferescuecenter.org

In the Spotlight: SCWDS Briefs Special Issue: Virus Gone Wild

Figure 1: Mapped cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD)
and Bluetongue Virus (BTV) in North America.

Are you interested in a year in review of wildlife disease? Then you'll want to check out the latest issue of SCWDS Briefs, a quarterly newsletter from the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.

You'll find some of the top wildlife disease stories that happened in United States this past year, like this article, Hemorrhagic Disease 2012 - One for the Record Books?


An excerpt:

... This is an exceptional year for HD in both the eastern and midwestern United States, and 2012 may be one for the record books. Our first HD case was confirmed on July 18 when we isolated epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) serotype-2 from samples from a white-tailed deer from North Carolina.

So far this year, we have isolated and identified nearly 200 EHD and bluetongue (BT) viruses from wild ungulates in 27 states. The distribution of these isolates is shown on the map. [See Figure 1].

All of the North American EHDV serotypes were isolated and all were widely distributed. All three EHDV subtypes were confirmed in deer in three states (Missouri, Indiana, and Michigan). We also isolated BTV-10, -11, and -13, but only a few confirmed cases were observed.

>>> READ ENTIRE ARTICLE AND OCTOBER NEWSLETTER ISSUE [pdf]

>>> FIND ARCHIVED SCWDS BRIEF NEWSLETTERS

Have An Interesting Resource that Every Wildlife Should Professional Know About?

Know of a invaluable resource (e.g. manual, website, online database) that every wildlife professional should be aware of? Send the title and a link (if available) for this indispensable resource to us at digest@wdin.org, and we will share it with your colleagues on the Digest.

If your New Year's resolution was to be more helpful, than in a 'less than two minute' email you can get a jump start on that goal.  Pass on your knowledge and help your fellow wildlife professionals!

And hey! Don't forget to look for us on Twitter and Facebook. All updates to the Digest, such as announcements, calendar events, news stories, journal articles and so on, are delivered to our followers too. 

'Like' us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WDINNews
 Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WDIN_News

In the Spotlight: Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from Wildlife Disease Association

A Wildlife Disease Investigation Case from the Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter
October 2012 Issue

Dolphin and Pelican Mortality in Peru
By Patricia Mendoza, Wildlife Conservation Society, Perú.


Dolphin mortality was reported along the Northern Peruvian coast, from Piura to La Libertad regions [click links to view location on Geonames], since January 2012. Species affected were long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) and black or Burmeister’s porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis).

In April, the Peruvian Institute of the Sea (IMARPE) counted 877 dolphins carcasses along 178km of coast, 78% of which were in advanced decomposition, resulting in limited sample collection. The dieoffs have sparked widespread speculation about the causes, but none have been scientifically confirmed.

Post-mortem analysis of 42 animals showed no signs of starvation, respiratory, digestive or neurological disease. While dolphin morbillivirus was suggested as a potential cause, there was no evidence of lessions indicative of morbillivirus infection in carcasses examined during this mortality event. Laboratory analyses of samples obtained from two animals resulted negative to PCR for Morbillivirus, Leptospirosis and Brucellosis, as well as heavy metals (copper, lead and cadmium) and pesticides (carbamates and organochlorines) by thin-layer chromatography.

Later this year avian die-offs were also recorded along Peru’s northern coast. Pelicans (Pelecanus thagus) were the most affected species, followed by the Peruvian booby (Sula variegata) and cormorants (Phalacrocorax bouganvillii).

The National Animal Health Service (SENASA at the Ministry of Agriculture) collected and analyzed 4 pelican and 2 booby carcasses and reported the finding of Pasteurella multocida. All animals sampled were negative for Avian Influenza, Newcastle Disease and Avian Mycoplasma. A large pelican die-off event occurred in 1997 following El Niño which caused declines of anchovies, a primary food source for pelicans. Starvation is also suspected in this year’s seabird dieoffs, with air and sea temperature warming effects implicated this past year from El Niño.

As a result of these events, the Directorate of Biodiversity (Ministry of Environment) is currently working to establish a Peruvian Stranding Network which will include representatives of the Peruvian government, universities, and NGO’s.

Source: WDA Newsletter – October 2012 Issue [pdf]

>>> TO NEWSLETTER [pdf]

>>> TO ALL WDA NEWSLETTERS

In the Spotlight: Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre 2011-2012 Annual Report

The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) recently released their 2011-2012 Annual Report.  In addition to containing all the expected operational information, it also highlights CCWHC research and surveillance efforts. Below is a sample of the kind of interesting summaries readers will find in this report.

Causes of Lamb Mortality in Bighorn Sheep in British Columbia

Poor lamb survival in bighorn sheep herds has been a long‐standing problem in many areas throughout the western United States and Canada. Reported causes of lamb mortality vary depending on the location and year, and include predation, inclement weather and disease. However, pneumonia appears to be the most significant cause of mortality in lambs. The causes of pneumonia are complex and include lungworm (Protostrongylus sp.), several species of bacteria, viruses and stress. Pneumonia die‐offs in bighorn sheep are frequently associated with contact with domestic sheep, which carry many of this disease‐causing agents. The variable causes of pneumonia and the involvement of multiple host species has made the management of bighorn sheep pneumonia difficult.

In 2011, the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, in collaboration with the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment, began a research program to study the causes of persistently poor lamb survival in herds of bighorn sheep in the East Fraser Valley northwest of Kamloops, BC. Herds in this area have seen a steady decline in numbers and sick lambs have been observed in early to mid‐July. Autopsies of a limited number of dead lambs and ewes have revealed pneumonia as the cause of death.

To better understand factors causing lamb mortality, lambs and ewes were monitored daily for approximately 4 weeks from late June to mid‐July. Coughing lambs were observed throughout the study period and, by the middle of July, approximately a third of the lambs were sick. In addition to coughing, lambs often had diarrhea and were thin. Two sick lambs were euthanized and a third died; autopsies revealed the presence of Mycoplasma bacteria, including Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. Lungworm was not involved in the pneumonia.

M. ovipneumoniae appears to be the initiator of pneumonia in these lambs. It is likely that secondary infection with opportunistic bacteria, predation of sick lambs, and other factors subsequently increase mortality. Research in the Fraser Valley will continue in 2012 to determine if M. ovipneumoniiae this is a consistent finding among herds and years, to identify sources of this bacterium, and to begin to identify the relative importance of other factors in lamb mortality. The identification of a single pathogen, which is potentially responsible for initiating many, if not most, of the bighorn sheep pneumonia outbreaks, is an important first step in developing techniques to control this devastating disease.

>>> TO FULL REPORT

healthywildlife.ca Blog

For more valuable information about wildlife disease issues and events, visit the CCWHC blog, healthywildlife.ca.  It is updated regularly with interesting content. We frequently find articles to include in the Digest.  

>>> TO healthwildlife.ca BLOG

Is Your Wildlife Health Organization Doing Interesting Wildlife Disease Related Research? Go Ahead - Toot Your Own Horn!

Do you want to use the Wildlife Disease News Digest to share information about interesting wildlife disease research happening within your organization/agencies?  Email the details or links to the description of the research (e.g. annual reports, web pages, newsletters, and press releases) to us at digest@wdin.org. If it fits the scope of the Digest (i.e. related to wildlife disease), we will feature it in a future post and push it out to our Facebook and Twitter followers.  Your fellow Digest readers will be very interested to hear from you!

And hey! Don't forget to look for us on Twitter and Facebook. All updates to the Digest, such as announcements, calendar events, news stories, journal articles and so on, are delivered to our followers too. 

'Like' us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WDINNews
 Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WDIN_News

In the Spotlight: Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from the Australian Wildlife Health Network

The Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly Report (AHSQ) is published by Animal Health Australia. Inside the September issue, the Australian Wildlife Health Network provides a summary of wildlife disease and mortality events reported to the Wildlife Health Information System (eWHIS) between April and June 2012. Below is a brief on one of those case reports.

Macrorhabdus ornithogaster in wild birds

Macrorhabdus ornithogaster (previously known as megabacteria) causes a fungal infection commonly diagnosed in a variety of pet and aviary birds. It is occasionally identified in wild birds in Australia and has been implicated as a possible contributor (along with Spironucleus spp.)5 to a syndrome of weight loss in juvenile galahs (Eolophus roseicapillus) in south-east Queensland. M. ornithogaster is usually identified by microscopic examination of a wet-mount faecal preparation.

M. ornithogaster infection was diagnosed in 11 wild birds reported to the AWHN between April and June 2012. There were four affected galahs and one little corella from south-east Queensland, five galahs from northern New South Wales and a little corella from a Perth suburb. All cases were reported into the National Wildlife Health Information System through the Zoo Based Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program.

The galahs from Queensland and New South Wales presented to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary were emaciated and were all diagnosed with M. ornithogaster based on a wet-mount faecal smear. Four were from a single flock that, along with an Indian ringneck (Psittacula krameri) believed to be an escaped aviary bird, were known to be fed by a member of the public. One of the galahs, which presented with dyspnoea, had a heavy burden of M. ornithogaster in the proventriculus and a heavy infection of Trichomonas associated with caseous pharyngeal lesions (based on cytology).

The little corella was presented to Perth Zoo in June....

>>> FULL AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE HEALTH NETWORK REPORT

>>> FULL ANIMAL HEALTH SURVEILLANCE QUARTERLY REPORT [Volume 17, Issue 2]

In the Spotlight: Past Willdife Disease Investigations from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

USGS National Wildlife Health Center Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report - January 2012 to March 2012

Avian Cholera in California (California, USA - View on GeoNames Map   )

Pasteurella multocida (avian cholera) epizootics were reported in various locations within nine California counties (Alameda, Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Siskiyou, Sutter and Yolo) during the first quarter of 2012 (January – March).

Cases were investigated and reported by the California Department of Fish and Game in partnership with USGS National Wildlife Health Center. The smallest event involved an estimated 75 dead wood ducks on a pond in Butte County.

State waterfowl areas such as Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, Upper Butte Basin, North Grasslands, and Yolo Bypass Wildlife Areas estimated losses ranging from 200 to 1,500 birds including ducks, geese, and shorebirds.

Sutter, Stone Lake and Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complexes, which serve as wintering areas for an estimated 2 million migratory birds, estimated final mortalities ranging from 100 to over 10,000 waterfowl, shorebirds and gulls, respectively. Refuge staff and volunteers at Tule Lake/Lower Klamath Lake NWR (Klamath Basin NWR Complex) retrieved 3,908 dead birds between mid-February and late April. The staff estimates this is approximately one-third of the birds that died during the event. The species most affected were the snow goose, American coot, American wigeon, white-fronted goose and northern pintail. This was the largest outbreak of avian cholera the Klamath Basin NWR staff has seen since 2008 when an estimated 10,000 birds died due to avian cholera. [View other past avian cholera events on the Digest's Global Wildlife Disease News Map]


Source: USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Quarterly Mortality Reports

>>> TO FULL REPORT

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE MORTALITY REPORTS (dating back to 1995) 

Find More Information on Avian Cholera

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

• Avian Cholera webpage
• Field Manual of Wildlife Disease: General Field Procedures and Diseases of Birds - Chapter 7 Avian Cholera [pdf]

In the Spotlight: Past Disease Investigation from Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS)

A Wildlife Disease Case Study from SCWDS Briefs

April 2012 Issue

Polyarthritis in Raccoons


Since late 2010, SCWDS has received raccoons with polyarthritis from rehabilitation facilities in Kentucky and Virginia. The animals had multiple swollen joints, often with abscesses in adjacent tissues, and soft tissues associated with the lesions were inflamed and contained purulent material.

Within affected joints, synovial structures were inflamed and necrotic with fibrinous exudate. A normal (Figure 1) and arthritic stifle (Figure 2) from the same raccoon are shown below.

Typical rule-outs for polyarthritis in wild and domestic animals include sepsis (overwhelming bacteria in the blood stream), some tick-borne diseases, Mycoplasma sp. infection, trauma, and some immune-mediated diseases. In free-ranging animals with multiple swollen joints and no signs of trauma, sepsis is the most likely cause; however, in these cases there was no evidence of sepsis or trauma.

Samples submitted for culture of Mycoplasma spp., aerobic, and anaerobic bacteria tested negative. With PCR, all but one of the samples from affected raccoons tested positive for Mycoplasma sp., and the sequences from PCR positives were identical.

Comparison with Mycoplasma sp. isolates in GenBank® strongly suggested that this was an undescribed Mycoplasma sp. that was most closely related to Mycoplasma spp. found in the upper respiratory tract of bottle-nosed dolphins, Mycoplasma equigenitalium associated with congenital disorders and infertility in horses, and Mycoplasma elephantis....

Source: SCWDS Briefs – A Quarterly Newsletter from the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study College of Veterinary Medicine - April 2012, Vol.28, No. 1 [pdf]

>>> TO FULL ARTICLE [pdf]

>>> TO SCWDS BRIEFS NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (dating back to 1999)

In the Spotlight: Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from WDA Newsletter

Nordic Section Quarterly Report of Wildlife Disease Investigation Cases

Wildlife Disease Association (WDA) Newsletter


New development in Trichomonas gallinae epidemic in Finland
By Marja Isomursu, Finnish Food Safety Authority

The avian protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, first emerged in finch populations of Finland, Sweden and Norway in 2008. The parasite quickly spread in Finland and has caused large-scale morbidity and mortality among greenfinches (Carduelis chloris).

So far, trichomonosis in other passerine species has apparently been rare. In January 2012, first reports of trichomonosis-like illness in yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) were received and soon after that, first cases were confirmed by necropsy and isolation of the parasite from the crop.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Nine new outbreaks were confirmed during the following winter months from different parts of the country. All outbreaks were seen in feeding places visited by flocks of yellowhammers.

The reason behind this new epidemiological development could be climatic: December 2011 was the warmest since the emergence of trichomonosis allowing the horizontal spread of freeze-intolerant T. gallinae at feeding places. Yellowhammers form large flocks and visit feeding places in Finland only in winter. This behavior has probably protected the population from the disease up to now. Interestingly, no cases were seen in greenfinches while yellowhammers were dying. The last cases in greenfinches were confirmed in the warm December 2011.

>>> TO FULL APRIL 2012 WDA NEWSLETTER & MORE DISEASE INVESTIGATION CASES [PDF]

>>> TO ALL WDA NEWSLETTERS BACK TO JANUARY 2008

In the Spotlight - Interesting Case from Recent AWHN Newsletter

Interesting Case from the Latest Australian Wildlife Health Network (AWHN)Newsletter - Wildlife Health in Australia

New Zealand Fur Seal (page7)

A wild male juvenile (12kg) New Zealand fur seal (Actocephalus forsteri) hauled out for several days at Port Kembla south of Sydney. A member of the public caught the animal and attempted to return it to the water but it returned to the same location. Assessed by NPWS staff as dehydrated and underweight, without obvious injury but abnormally ‘friendly’ (not aggressive or afraid of people in any way).


The animal was brought into care where it ate well and was bright, alert and responsive for five days before being found with abnormal posturing, reluctance to move, and a hard and full abdomen that appeared painful. The seal became non-responsive and euthanasia was elected due to poor prognosis.

Image on right: Cover of the Australian Wildlife Health Network newsletter, Wildlife Health in Australia 

There were no notably significant findings on necropsy however on histology, a cerebral tumour (likely an oligodendroglioma) and an acute to subacute, severe necrohaemorrhagic enteritis were identified.

A brain tumour in such a young animal is an unexpected finding and may have contributed to the ‘odd’ behaviour noted in this animal. Terminal changes may also have been attributed to the severe enteritis identified on histology.




Image above: Low power, H&E image of cerebrum at level of optic chiasm. Within the third ventricle, there is a nodular mass compressing the overlying choroid plexus and invading into the underlying brainstem parenchyma. 

>>> Entire Wildlife Health in Australia Newsletter (Vol.10, Issue 1) [pdf]

In the Spotlight: Past Willdife Disease Investigations from EWDA Newsletter

Past Disease Investigation Highlighted in the European Section of the Wildlife Disease Association Bulletin

Progression of a distemper epidemic in Switzerland

During the first half of 2009, the front of a distemper epidemic reached the eastern Swiss border and rapidly spread towards the central part of the country. Numerous red foxes and Eurasian badgers were observed alive during the day time, often without fear of humans, sometimes also circling and trembling and/or showing signs of respiratory distress. Many others were found dead, most of them severely emaciated.

A small number of stone martens, pine martens and Eurasian lynx were also affected. Although no cases were registered in wolves, the local hunting authorities described that signs of wolf presence in Grisons dramatically decreased and this suggested a possible role for distemper in this process.

Distemper was also diagnosed in a domestic dog previously vaccinated against Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), and the infection was shown to be caused by a strain very similar to those of foxes from the same geographical region during the same period, indicating that wildlife was most probably the source of infection.

Suppurative blepharitis and conjunctivitis in a red fox affected
by distemper

Up to October 2011, cases of distemper have been recorded in 21/26 Swiss cantons, however, cases seem to be fewer and the progression of the epidemic front appears slower than during the previous year. Pathological changes associated with the infection and characterization of the involved CDV have been reported by Origgi et al. [See EWDA Bulletin. 2011; 2(8) for reference].

The main pathological changes consisted of broncho-interstitial pneumonia and meningo -encephalitis with syncytial cells, intracytoplasmic and intranuclear eosinophilic inclusions.

To date, both epidemiological and virological investigations are consistent with the spread of an epidemic front from eastern to western Europe, but data do not allow either to exclude the re-emergence of a local strain.

Source: European Section of the Wildlife Disease Association Bulletin. 2011; 2 (8)

>>> TO CURRENT EWDA BULLETIN [pdf]

>>> FIND MORE EWDA BULLETINS

In the Spotlight: Past Willdife Disease Investigations from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

USGS National Wildlife Health Center Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report - July 2011 to September 2011

Mortality in captive Mississippi Gopher Frog larvae (Harrison County, Mississippi - View on GeoNames Map   )

In September, the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) was contacted for assistance with an overnight mortality event involving approximately 2,400 newly hatched endangered larval Mississippi Gopher Frogs (Rana sevosa).

The tadpoles originated from portions of several egg masses that had been collected one week earlier from a single natural pond for captive propagation. No natural mortality among adults or egg masses was observed at the pond at the time of collection.

NWHC received representative specimens from each egg mass for diagnostic evaluation. Notable abnormalities in the 1-2 mm sized hatchlings from two egg masses included the presence of blisters and fluid accumulation in the skin and tails. Many of the tadpoles also had oddly curled tail tips. It could not be determined if these lesions occurred before death or represent post-mortem artifact.

In addition, some of the tadpoles appeared too underdeveloped to have hatched under normal conditions, suggesting that some of the eggs might have prematurely burst open releasing the tadpoles.

The cause of mortality is still under investigation although adverse husbandry conditions, such as exposure to acidified water, are one possible explanation for these findings. No fungi were observed and no viruses were isolated from pooled samples.

Mississippi Gopher Frogs, a federally-listed species since 2004, currently number less than 100 adults in two isolated populations in southern Mississippi. An undescribed systemic Perkinsus-like protozoan infection and chytridiomycosis are known disease threats to the remaining population, as is predation of egg masses by Caddisfly larvae and snakes.

Source: USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Quarterly Mortality Reports

>>> TO FULL REPORT

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE MORTALITY REPORTS (dating back to 1995)

In the Spotlight - Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from WDA Newsletter

Past Disease Investigation Highlighted in the Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter

Nordic Section Quarterly Report of Wildlife Disease Investigation Cases, July—Sept.

Increased mortality of young harbor seals at Anholt in Denmark

Since the 27th of June increased mortality among young harbor seals has been observed in a colony of approximately 500 adult harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) on the island of Anholt in Denmark [Map It on GeoNames ]. Fifty-six seals were found dead the 27th of June, 61 seals the 28th of June (of which two animals were killed due difficulty breathing and severe emaciation, respectively), 6 seals the 29th of June and nine seals the 1st of July.

Photo of harbor seal courtesy of NOAA

The National Veterinary Institute in Aarhus has so far received 6 harbor seals for necropsy. The seals were found in varying nutritional condition and without significant pathological changes. Several cadavers were characterized by progressive decomposition and only the two animals euthanized were in good condition.

The bacteriological analysis revealed pure culture of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae in the liver of seal that was killed due to breathing difficulties. Infection with this bacterium can cause pneumonia and blood poisoning and subsequently labored breathing and death. However, it is unclear whether this bacterial infection is the principal cause of deaths among the seals. The National Veterinary Institute is awaiting further laboratory results to get closer to an explanation.

No evidence of phocine distemper virus (PDV) could be detected in relevant tissue samples by PCR analysis. Phocine distemper virus caused extensive and devastating epizootic mortalities among harbor seals in 1988 and 2002. The laboratory will hopefully continue to receive animals for relevant analyses.

>>> TO FULL WDA NEWSLETTER & MORE DISEASE INVESTIGATION CASES

In the Spotlight - Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

From the Latest USGS National Wildlife Health Center Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report - April 2011 to June 2011



Field investigation at Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Site (Maryland)

Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Wildlife disease specialists and biologists from the US Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service teamed up to investigate double-crested cormorant mortality at a rookery site on Poplar Island in Talbot County, Maryland (Map It ), in June 2011.

During the summer 2010, virulent Newcastle disease (vND) and concurrent salmonellosis were detected in young of the year cormorants at this rookery resulting in the death of approximately 84 birds. While juvenile cormorant mortality had not yet exceeded that observed during the previous summer, baseline mortality for this population of 816 active nests was uncertain.

Given the high density of domestic poultry in Maryland, resource managers wished to investigate the possibility of vND recurrence in this population. Fresh dead carcasses, as well as several 3-6 week old birds exhibiting lethargy, incoordination, and wing dragging were collected for diagnostic evaluation. In addition, serum and paired oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were collected non-lethally from a subset of asymptomatic 4-6 week old juveniles for future analysis.

No evidence of vND or closely related avian paramyxovirus-1 was detected in the affected birds. Aspergillosis was diagnosed in the cormorants found dead while no infectious diseases were identified among the clinically affected juveniles.

Collaborative studies with USDA Wildlife Services and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have been initiated this summer (2011) to better understand vND disease ecology in double-crested cormorant populations.

Source: USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Quarterly Mortality Reports

>>> TO FULL REPORT

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE MORTALITY REPORTS (dating back to 1995)

In the Spotlight - Past Wildlife Disease Investigation from AWHW

Interesting Case from the Latest Australian Wildlife Health Network Newsletter - Wildlife Health in Australia

Wild Platypus in New South Wales (page 7)


A subadult male in poor body condition was presented after several days in care. Blood work revealed a moderate to marked infection of red blood cells with a parasite (Theileria) not uncommonly found in these animals. The animal was treated for the parasite and nursed diligently for approximately one week before deteriorating in condition and dying.

Based on histological and bacteriological findings, the animal was suffering from acute enteritis and appeared to have developed a terminal septicaemia with Staphylococcus sp. Additional findings included adrenal cortical hyperplasia and splenic histiocytic proliferation. The former indicates this animal was physiologically stressed. The latter is interesting given the ante mortem diagnosis of Theileriosis. It is speculated that increased phagocytic cells demonstrating erythrophagocytosis in the spleen were removing infected erythrocytes (7962.1).

Theileria infections have been previously identified in both platypus and bandicoots but have not been related to disease in these species. Theileria in platypus have commonly been identified as Theileria ornithorhynchi but infection densities have generally been low (Ladds 2009). For immunosupressed and young individuals however, infection may be more significant (Vogelnest & Woods 2008).

>>> Entire Wildlife Health in Australia Newsletter (Vol.9, Issue 1) [pdf]

Recent Disease Investigation from Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter

In the Spotlight: Recent Disease Investigation from Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter

Nordic Section Quarterly Report of Wildlife Disease Incidents for April, May and June 2011

Severe nose bot fly infestation in a wild reindeer flock in Southern Norway

In the July 2011 Wildlife Disease Association newsletter, Bjørnar Ytrehus and Kjell Handeland from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute submitted the following disease report summary.

In the middle of May 2011 a hunter observed a flock of 30-40 wild tundra reindeer on the southern part of Hardangervidda ( 8° E, 60°N) showing signs of lethargy, respiratory distress and complete lack of fear. On close view he observed “worms creeping out of the nose of them”.

A young animal was culled and the head submitted for laboratory examination. At reception, the tongue, pharynx and larynx had been removed and could therefore not be inspected. In the nostrils, on the muzzle and cheeks and within the nasal conchae about 30 third-stage larvae of the reindeer nose bot fly (Cephenemyia trompe) were found. The larvae were also found in the tissues around the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and lateral to the pharynx (figure 1). The adjacent lymph nodes showed follicular hyperplasia with a greenish discoloration and moist cut surfaces. The tissues surrounding the larvae show a greenish discoloration and edema.

The local wildlife manager was urged to follow the affected reindeer flock, but it could not be reloacted. A few other small flocks that were observed did not show any obvious signs of disease.

The nose bot fly is a common problem in domesticated reindeer herds in northern Norway, and there are large variations in infection levels between years, districts and individuals (Nilsen, 1995). Little is known about the impact of this infestation in the wild reindeer populations in southern Norway. However, the clinical signs observed in the reported flock may indicate severe health distress by heavy infestation, possibly most pronounced when the third-stage larvae are in the migratory process of leaving the host.

>>> TO WDA NEWSLETTER AND MORE DISEASE REPORTS [pdf]

In the Spotlight: Recent Disease Investigation from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

From the Latest USGS National Wildlife Health Center Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report - January 2011 to March 2011


Suspected mycotoxicosis in Canada geese (Delaware)

Sick and dying Canada geese at a private refuge that included both resident and migratory birds were first reported in early January 2011. The area consisted of a 5 acre partially-aerated pond and surrounding fields with standing corn where geese had been observed feeding. Supplemental whole corn was also provided mainly for mallards at the site and was discontinued shortly after the onset of the die-off. Only Canada geese appeared to be involved.

Mortality began slowly and quickly escalated over the course of a week. Mortality continued for approximately four weeks and resulted in 1247 dead geese. Clinical signs were vague consisting mostly of depression and lack of flight response; many were simply found dead. Other birds were seemingly unaffected.

Examination of carcasses from early in the event did not reveal any significant lesions while those collected during peak mortality had evidence of kidney and liver damage. Birds collected late in the event also had evidence of mild aspergillosis. Grain samples collected from the geese as well as from standing corn tested strongly positive for fumonisin B1 toxin by two independent labs. High levels of this toxin are known to cause liver changes in domestic poultry but its effects on waterfowl have not been previously studied.

Source: USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Quarterly Mortality Reports

>>> TO FULL REPORT

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE MORTALITY REPORTS (dating back to 1995)

More Resources

National Wildlife Health Center

• Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - General Field Procedures and Diseases of Birds [Chapter 37 - Mycotoxins]
• Coping with birdfeeder diseases [pamplet]

University of Florida - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Extension

• Peanuts, Corn, And Other Cereal Grains Can Be Toxic To Wild Birds [publication] [pdf]

In the Spotlight - Past Disease Investigation from AWHW

Interesting Case from the Latest Australian Wildlife Health Network Newsletter Wildlife Health in Australia

Sea Turtles—Lord Howe Island (page 7)

Finding fresh, deceased sea turtles is rare on Lord Howe Island [Map]. The discovery of two green turtles [species fact sheet] in recent months proved to be a unique opportunity to assess health, cause of death and possible pathogens via necropsy.

The turtles, found dead and washed ashore on different sections of the island, were frozen upon retrieval and shipped to the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health for post mortem examination. On necropsy, both animals were found to be severely emaciated, and had lesions consistent with septicaemia including reddening of the skin and plastron surfaces, small multifocal haemorrhages throughout the musculature and several organs.



In both animals, the kidneys were found to be large and firm and contained large, tan, caseous, lamellated granulomas occupying a large portion of the parenchymal tissue. In one case, infection also appeared to have affected the renal bladder (7579.1), in the other turtle the gonadal tissue also appeared affected (7949.2).

These lesions were very dramatic and it was interesting that 2 animals from this region were so severely debilitated with a bacterial nephritis. An unusual bacterium, Shewanella putrefaciens, was identified upon bacterial culture in one of the animals (7579.1).

Source: Wildlife Health in Australia Newsletter

>>> Entire Wildlife Health in Australia Newsletter

Useful Resources from the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health Website

• Interesting Cases - View illustrated case reports, download quarterly case summaries, and submit interesting cases

• Common Diseases - Browse illustrated chapters containing information regarding a variety of parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases in urban wildlife.

In the Spotlight: Recent Disease Investigation from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

From the Latest USGS National Wildlife Health Center Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report - October 2010 to December 2010

Trematodiasis in Bowstring Lake (Minnesota)

Lesser Scaup
Photo Copyright Camden Hackworth /
Idaho Fish and Game

For the third consecutive year, Bowstring Lake [mapped] experienced avian mortalities in October and November due to intestinal trematode infections with Sphaeridiotrema globulus [fact sheet]and Cyathocoytle bushinesis [image]. Avian mortality due to intestinal trematodes was first detected at Bowstring Lake in 2008 and has been seen every year since.

In this 2010 mortality event, an estimated 1200 birds died; primarily lesser scaup and American coots. Avian mortality due to intestinal trematodes has been observed at nearby Lake Winnibigoshish [mapped] since 2005. Snail surveys conducted in the summer of 2008 at Lake Winnibigoshish found the invasive host snail, Bithynia tentaculata.

American Coots
Photo Credit: Terry Hartley,
Alabama Conservation and Natural Resources

Parasite infection rate for snails was between 0-93% with the highest prevalence occurring near shore. All 3 trematodes, S. globulus, C. bushinesis, and Legyonimus polyoon were detected and in some instances, a single snail was infected by more than 1 species of metacercariae, the intermediate life stage of the parasites.


Source: USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Quarterly Mortality Reports

>>> TO FULL REPORT

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE MORTALITY REPORTS (dating back to 1995)

More Resources

Michigan Dept of Natural Resources 

• Verminous Hemorrhagic Ulcerative Enteritis Online Fact Sheet
• Image 1 of Sphaeridiotrema globulus
• Image 2 of Sphaeridiotrema globulus

University of Minnesota

• Faucet Snail - Impact on Waterbirds
• Image of Cyathocoytle bushinesis

United States Geological Survey

• Finding the Exotic Faucet Snail (Bithynia tentaculata): Investigation of Waterbird Die-Offs on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge [fact sheet] [pdf]
• Field Manual of Wildlife Disease -  Chapter 35 - Miscellaneous Parasitic Diseases [S. Globulus] [pdf]

In the Spotlight: Recent Disease Investigation from Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS)

Recent Wildlife Disease Case Study from SCWDS Briefs

Birds Falling from the Sky

On the night of December 31, 2010, an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 birds “fell from the sky” as residents celebrated New Year’s Eve in Beebe, Arkansas, about 35 miles northeast of Little Rock. The birds came from a large roost containing an estimated 1.6 million red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, and European starlings.

Wildlife biologists with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission investigated the event and sent dead birds for postmortem examinations to SCWDS, as well as to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission Diagnostic Laboratory and the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC). Three days later, approximately 500 dead and dying birds of the same species were found near New Roads, Louisiana. This area is about 40 miles northwest of Baton Rouge and more than 350 miles south of Beebe, Arkansas.

Officials with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries investigated the incident and also submitted dead birds to SCWDS, NWHC, and USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories for postmortem examination. The necropsy results for the Arkansas and Louisiana birds were identical at all of the laboratories and included broken bones, liver fractures, and internal hemorrhages, all consistent with blunt force trauma. There was no evidence of infection, toxicosis, or other underlying disease that might have affected coordination and the ability to fly.

Die-offs of wild birds are not uncommon and may be due to a variety of causes. Blunt force trauma in wild birds typically results from flying into stationary objects, such as trees, buildings, windows, power lines, or towers, but collisions with vehicles also occur. Flight into stationary objects has been very well documented in the Beebe, Arkansas, mortality event.

Some citizens reported hearing loud noises from fireworks at approximately 10:00 PM. Around the same time, Doppler radar detected large flights of birds in the air above and near the roosting area. The species of birds that died in Beebe have poor night vision and do not normally fly after dark. Thus, after being startled from their roost sites, the birds began to collide with houses, trees, parked cars, and mailboxes, some of which were witnessed by local residents....

Source: SCWDS Briefs – A Quarterly Newsletter from the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study College of Veterinary Medicine - January 2011 Issue [pdf]

>>> TO FULL ARTICLE [pdf]

>>> TO SCWDS BRIEFS NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (dating back to 1999)