In the Spotlight: A New Look for the Australian Wildlife Health Network

The Australian Wildlife Health Network
A guest blogger on the Wildlife Disease News Digest

The Australian Wildlife Health Network (AWHN) recently updated the look and feel of our website. Our main home page address can still be found at: www.wildlifehealth.org.au but you will need to update any other shortcuts you have to other areas of the website.

Have a look around the website and check out what’s new!  For example, we have a new Resources page  (this replaces our previous ‘Bulletin Board”) which provides links to current wildlife health information and resources using a number of different categories and areas of interest with a focus on Australia. Click on the link and explore.

We have also reorganised our Useful Links page. If you would like to post some news or a key wildlife health resource – please let us know.  Find out more about our Programs and Projects or download our current or previous Newsletters. And of course our Fact Sheets are also still available.

For those living or visiting Australia, don't forget that you can report any suspicious signs of disease or deaths in wildlife by contacting your local AWHN Wildlife Coordinator.

An Invitation to the Network

The AWHN aims to link, inform and support people and organisations who work with or have an interest in wildlife health across Australia through technical advice, facilitation, communications and professional support. By joining the Network, you become an AWHN subscriber whose benefits include:

• Receiving a weekly electronic digest by email of wildlife health information relevant to Australia and the Region
• Receiving ad hoc disease incident notifications and information requests via email, and
• The opportunity to contribute articles, requests and information to the digest

Learn how to join at: http://www.wildlifehealth.org.au/AboutUs1/JointheNetwork.aspx 

A Big Thanks!

AWHN would like to thank all of our Supporters (click on link to view who they are) and say a special thank you to everyone involved in updating the website.

Sincerely,
The Australian Wildlife Health Network Team


Share What You Know: Be Our Next Guest Writer for the Digest

Since the inception of the Wildlife Disease News Digest, we have always encouraged you, our readers, to share your wildlife health related announcements.  If you are excited about something happening in your organization or with your work, we, along with the rest of the Digest community, want to hear about it.

Use the Digest to share your announcements about the latest wildlife disease developments, education and employment opportunities, or any other tidbits of information that you feel is valuable. Don't be shy.  If you don't want to write your own announcement, just tell us about it and we will take it from there, but you have to email us your ideas at digest@wdin.org.  Help your community of Digest readers stay abreast of the ever changing landscape of wildlife disease.

In the Spotlight: CDFG Wildlife Investigation Lab Blog

Are you interested in hearing about what wildlife biologists are doing in the field? Then, you will want to check out the CDFG Wildlife Investigation Lab blog published by the California Dept of Fish and Game (CDFG). Blog writers frequently publish fascinating articles related to wildlife disease. There is a good chance you will learn something new! We do! Routinely, articles from this blog are included in Digest issues.

It’s suspected to be the intermediate stage
of a tapeworm, known as “cysticercosis”,
but this is uncertain.

The most recent post is about a mysterious parasite found in Humboldt County in a black-tailed deer lung. Tell me you are not intrigued?! Read more about this disease investigation case HERE .

Wildlife Investigations Laboratory

Wildlife Investigations Lab (WIL) was established in 1941. Its mission is to investigate, monitor and manage population health issues in California's wildlife. In addition WIL provides expertise, service, training and resources to assist CDFG personnel with wildlife disease issues.


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. In less-than-a-two-minute email you can pass on your knowledge and help a fellow wildlife professional.


Keep the Digest Online!

We love keeping you informed. With your support, we can keep on publishing the Digest for everyone's benefit.

Through the University of Wisconsin Foundation, different giving options are available, including one-time gifts, or annual or monthly pledges. Find one that works for you here.


Sincerely,
The WDIN Team

Cris Marsh
Megan Hines
Vicki Szewczyk
Dr. Kurt Sladky

>>>DONATE

In the Spotlight: CCWHC’s Blog – healthywildlife.ca

Late in 2009, the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) launched the healthywildlife.ca blog. The purpose of this new CCWHC initiative is to deliver relevant wildlife-health related information to the general public. Using the blog-style format, CCWHC hopes to form a broad community of people interested in wildlife health.

The publishers write original articles about current wildlife health issues happening in Canada, but they also invite readers to contribute materials and share comments in order to make the site more informative and useful as a resource. Comments/suggestions are welcome at info@healthywildlife.ca

A sample of recent stories posted:

• Summer student experience at the CCWHC
• WNV in Canada
• Fish Die-off at Buffalo Pound Lake, Saskatchewan
• Epidemic disease in Double-crested Cormorants in Saskatchewan

Managing wildlife disease has its challenges and disappointments, but there is good work being done and CCWHC is eager to share its accomplishments in the site section, Success Stories. Inside another section, News & Announcements, healthywildlife.ca connects its readers to media stories about wildlife health related events and issues relevant to Canada. Discover the valuable information and insight the CCWHC blog has to offer by visiting www.healthywildlife.ca

You can also follow heathywildlife.ca via:

 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/healthywildlife

 Twitter: http://twitter.com/CCWHC

 RSS Feed: http://www.healthywildlife.ca/?feed=rss2

>>> TO HEALTHYWILDLIFE.ca BLOG

In the Spotlight - A Video Presentation: Engaging the Public in Science and Research

On June 20, 2012, Dr. Joshua Dein (USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Veterinary Medical Officer) and Megan Hines (UW Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), Wildlife Data Integration Network (WDIN) Technical Manager) presented at the Wednesday Nite @ the Lab (WN@TL); a Wisconsin Alumni Association program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This interactive talk, Exploring the Impacts of Wildlife Diseases through Collaborations between Scientists and the Public, examined the current and potential effects of wildlife diseases to society and individuals and discussed steps everyday citizens can take to increase collective knowledge about wildlife health events and minimize their impacts.

The presentation began with Dr. Dein discussing the ecology of wildlife disease and why it is important to gather information about wildlife health events. He ended his portion of the program on the important contributions that public individuals have already made to further scientific knowledge through their participation in citizen science programs like eBird.


After the general information session, Megan demonstrated the Wildlife Health Event Reporter, an online observation reporting tool. Megan walked through how to report dead/sick/injured wild animals that attendees might come across in their daily lives, such as a dead squirrel on hike or a sick bird at the feeder in the backyard. Wildlife health event sightings like these – no matter how common or small – can offer critical clues to help researchers better understand the occurrence of wildlife disease.

The program ended with comments from Nancy Businga, a microbiologist from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Wildlife Health Program. She provided real-life examples where public reports about sick or dead wildlife lead to the quick response to an outbreak of a common bird infection, avian salmonellosis, in 2008. The public reports and early collection of fresh carcasses enabled a quick diagnosis and response.

Currently, about 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases affecting people originate from contact with wildlife [1], such as SARS, avian influenza, and West Nile virus, leading to increasing concern about these issues worldwide. If you share this concern, we invite you to watch the video recording of the presentation to learn more about the significance of wildlife disease and how citizens can help natural resource managers, researchers, public health officials and others in their efforts to protect the well-being of all living things and promote a healthy ecosystem. Each report makes a difference. It adds to a greater body of wildlife disease knowledge that can potentially assist in the detection of common disease events and biosecurity concerns, provide information to explore the interconnections between human, domestic animal and wildlife diseases, and help build baseline knowledge on wildlife mortality.

>>> WATCH VIDEO

This program is part of a multidisciplinary research study conducted with support from a grant awarded by the University of Wisconsin Global Health Institute.

The following study team members assisted in the development of this program:

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

• Dr. F. Joshua Dein – Veterinary Medical Officer

University of Wisconsin – Madison

• Megan Hines- Technical Manager, School of Veterinary Medicine, WDIN
• Christy Browne-Nunez - Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
• Cris Marsh, Content Manager, School of Veterinary Medicine, WDIN
• Bret Shaw- Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences Communication

WHER was developed with support from the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System of the US Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the former US Geological Survey’s National Biological Information Infrastructure. Technical development of WHER with UW Madison DoIT Academic Technology. WHER is managed and maintained by UW Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
_____________________________________________
[1] AM Ramos and K Synder. (2012). Pilot study establishes the importance of tracking diseases associated with illegal wildlife trade at US ports. American Museum of Natural History. Retrived August 2, 2012 from http://www.amnh.org/science/papers/pilot_study_2012.php

In the Spotlight: Wildlife Health Bulletin from USGS National Wildlife Health Center

NWHC Plan for Avian Influenza Surveillance of Wild Birds

Wildlife Health Bulletin 2012-03

. . . With the exception of a few targeted efforts, the majority of the live bird and hunter harvested AI surveillance programs were discontinued in 2010. The National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) is continuing surveillance for H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza by focusing on testing sick and dead migratory birds, particularly ducks, geese and swans.

We believe that the systematic investigation of morbidity and mortality events in wild birds offers a cost-effective method for detection of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, as well as other emerging wild bird diseases, should they occur in migratory birds in the United States.

In an effort to maximize early detection of H5N1 HPAI, wildlife managers should be alert for wild bird morbidity and mortality events that meet any of the following criteria:

1. Mortality events of any size involving waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans). North American waterfowl species known to be particularly susceptible to H5N1 HPAI include the wood duck, gadwall and swan species.
2. Mortality events involving other North American species known to be susceptible to H5N1 HPAI, including eared grebes, dunlin, laughing and black-headed gulls and raptor groups such as falcons (kestrels and peregrine falcons).
3. Mortality events involving bird species where it is estimated that the mortality exceeds 500 birds.
4. Wild bird mortality events in close proximity to poultry operations, or mortality events associated with birds that have been imported from countries where H5N1 HPAI is known to occur, are other examples of events that would warrant investigation.

NWHC will also test for H5N1 HPAI in other species when the circumstances of disease outbreaks, including rapid mortality progression and pathologic findings, suggest that avian influenza may be a factor.

NWHC will continue submitting samples to the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories for mortality events exceeding 500 birds, and results will be reported through the HEDDS Web site (a link to HEDDS can also be found on the avian influenza page on the NWHC Web site).

A comprehensive list of USGS avian influenza publications resulting from national and international avian influenza research studies conducted at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Alaska Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center, and the National Wildlife Health Center is available at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/ai_publications_list.jsp

>>> READ ENTIRE WILDLIFE HEALTH BULLETIN [PDF]

More About Wildlife Health Bulletins

Published by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Wildlife Health Bulletins are distributed to natural resource/conservation agencies to provide and promote information exchange about significant wildlife health threats in their geographic region.

To view all issues, dating back to 2000, visit the NWHC website here.

>>> TO ALL WILDLIFE HEALTH BULLETINS 

In the Spotlight: Introducing the One Health Global Network Webportal

The One Health Global Network (OHGN), www.onehealthglobal.net, is a 'network of networks' that works to bring partners from One Health initiatives together from around the globe. This webportal is currently under development, but it was recently opened to the public. 

The goals for the OHGN Webportal are to:

• Unify the One Health community
• Connect the wealth of One Health information through a single portal
• Facilitate access to One Health initiatives, as well as promote and interconnect them
• Join and promote balanced involvement of all regions of the world around One Health
• Encourage interaction and discussion

>>> MORE ON THE OHGN MISSION

What You Will Find on the OHGN Webportal?

• Description and link to One Health Talk.org, a online forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas about the One Health approach and its many applications

• Upcoming and past meetings related to the One Health approach

• List of links to One Health Platforms and training providers

• Collection of resources (e.g. videos, photos, case studies, presentations and databases)

>>> TO THE OHGN WEBPORTAL

Who is the OHGN?  

The OHGN and its webportal are set up by a group of professionals involved in the rapid development of the One Health movement. They represent various sectors related to One Health. While belonging to government agencies, regional institutions, international technical agencies including the UN, universities, development banks, NGOs and civil society, they all act in their personal expert capacity and pro bono. Currently, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia are represented in the working group, which remains open to new members. Contributions to this webportal are very welcome.

Source: One Health Global Network

In the Spotlight - White-Nose Syndrome Resources

White-Nose Syndrome.org

North America's Response to the Devastating Bat Disease

The White-nose Syndrome.org website was developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration with its many partners. Whether you recently heard about white-nose syndrome (WNS) and want to learn more, or you are already knowledgeable and just want to stay up to date on the latest WNS developments, you will find this site to be useful.

WNS Map updated March 30, 2012

For the newly curious, this web resource provides a gateway to authoritative resources, such as reports, fact sheets, videos, and other educational materials to help you learn about this emerging disease that is estimated to have killed over 5 million bats since its detection in 2007.

In addition to information about WNS, the site provides information about bats and why they are important and should be protected. Some of this information has been selected and brought together into sections specific to the interests of students and educators, and cavers. Lastly, for those who are familiar with the disease, the site offers current news and regularly updated maps following the spread of the diseae.

>>> TO WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME.ORG SITE 

Type of Available Information

• White-nose Syndrome News
• White-nose Syndrome Maps
• Information for Cavers
• White-Nose Syndrome National Plan
• USFWS White-nose Syndrome Fact Sheet

USGS Public Lecture Series

Bat White-nose Syndrome: There is a New Fungus Among Us

As part of the USGS Public Lecture Series: Science in Action, Dr. David Blehert, a microbiologist from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center discusses the emergent disease, white-nose syndrome, and the profound impacts it may have in the 21st century. The video recording of this lecture is about 45 minutes in length.

 >>> TO PRESENTATION

Other WNS Resources

National Wildlife Health Center – WNS Web Page

• WNS Health Bulletins
• WNS Webpage Section 

Wildlife Data Integration Network (WDIN)

• Collection of White-Nose Syndrome Journal Articles 
• Past Wildlife Disease News Digest Post - July 2008 Subcommittee Hearing: Why We Should Care About Bats: Devastating Impact White-Nose Syndrome is Having on One of Nature’s Best Pest Controllers

What Other Essential WNS Resources Should Every Wildlife Professional Know About?

Do you know of an invaluable WNS resource (e.g. manual, website, map or image gallery) that every wildlife professional should be aware of? Send the title and a link (if available) of this indispensable resource to us at digest@wdin.org, and we will share it with your colleagues on the Digest.

In the Spotlight - Medical Wallet Card for Wildlife Professionals

Don't Leave Home without Your Medical Alert Card!

Biologists working with wildlife may be exposed to a variety of disease agents. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) has developed a wallet card that wildlife professionals can carry with them to alert medical personnel about potential exposure to zoonotic diseases.

Contact information is provided for both the Centers for Disease Control, on the occurrence of zoonotic diseases in humans, and the NWHC, for information on diseases in wildlife.

Download the wallet card here.[pdf]

Other Resources for Wildlife Professionals on Safety and Zoonotic Diseases

• Avian Zoonotic Diseases: Work Smart, Stay Safe [90 min video seminar]
• Zoonotic Diseases (Mammalian): Work Smart, Stay Safe [90 min video seminar]

What Essential Resource Should Every Wildlife 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. In less-than-a-two-minute email you can pass on your knowledge and help a fellow wildlife professional.

In the Spotlight: OIE Training Manual on Wildlife Diseases and Surveillance

Training Manual on Wildlife Diseases and Surveillance: Workshop for OIE National Focal Points for Wildlife
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Working Group on Wildlife Diseases

From the Manual Forward: "This Training Manual on Wildlife Diseases and Surveillance was prepared by Dr F.A. Leighton from the OIE Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Disease Surveillance and Monitoring, Epidemiology and Management, under the auspices of the OIE Working Group on Wildlife Diseases. It can be used in training workshops, with a view to providing practical advice on wildlife diseases and surveillance and facilitating an interactive working session for participants."

The table of contents of this 56-page manual include:

• Definition of 'wildlife'
• The socio-economic importance of wildlife pathogens and diseases
• The ecology of pathogens and diseases
• Emerging diseases and wildlife
• Pathogen transmission
• Reservoirs of infectious pathogens
• The basic reproductive number (‘R’) - A measure of pathogen transmission
• Interventions to manage pathogens and diseases in wild animals
• Components of a national wildlife disease programme
• Wildlife disease surveillance

>>> TO MANUAL

In the Spotlight: ProMED-mail Website Gets a New Look!

ProMED-mail home page.

ProMED-mail Website

Same Reliable Service with A Fresh Look and New Features

The ProMED-mail website has a fresh, new look. "Operated by the International Society for Infectious Diseases, ProMED is an Internet-based reporting system dedicated to rapid global dissemination of information on outbreaks of infectious diseases and acute exposures to toxins that affect human health, including those in animals and in plants grown for food or animal feed."


For more information about ProMED visit http://www.promedmail.org/aboutus

Disease reports to ProMED viewed on HealthMap.

Visitors to the new site will find they can continue to access and read the latest reports as well as search past articles. Although upon their arrival, they will also find a few new features too. One significant addition is users can now view these disease reports on HealthMap, an online map application developed at Children’s Hospital Boston.



Like the Digest, ProMED has an email subscription service. “Electronic communications enable ProMED-mail to provide up-to-date and reliable news about threats to human, animal, and food plant health around the world, seven days a week.”

To subscribe go to http://ww4.isid.org/promedmail/subscribe.php. From here you will find a list of subscription choices, which include the options to limit email messages by location, topic or delivery frequency.

The Digest Team regularly uses ProMED. It is one of the primary news sources we use to procure stories for the Wildlife Disease News Digest. If you are interested in monitoring disease outbreak reports beyond those that involve just wildlife, we highly recommend checking out ProMED.

Source: ProMED-Mail About Us Webpage

>>> TO ProMED WEBSITE

In the Spotlight – Infectious Disease Manual 2011

Infectious Disease Manual 2011


A reference notebook about infectious diseases of concern to captive and free-ranging animals in North America


Available from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians website, “This notebook was designed as a starting reference point for information needed on infectious diseases which affect zoo and wild animal species housed or free-ranging in North America....

These volumes (see sample fact sheet on right) are dynamic and have routine updates processed every 18-24 months to maintain their currency of information; dates are annotated to each sheet.

Although these documents were peer-reviewed, often by a topic expert, they are not intended to be used as an exclusive information source. Rather, they provide a quick focus on specialists, diagnostics, laboratories, and treatment recommendations to the clinician, pathologist or wildlife biologist faced with an infectious disease situation.”

In addition to presenting fact sheets on over 150 infectious diseases, this manual also provides summarized state regulations for infectious disease of concern and includes reminders for reportable situations.

>>> Reportable diseases and regulations for the 50 United States, Canada and Mexico

>>> TO COMPLETE MANUAL

The citation for this manual provided below was reviewed and approved by the Journal of Zoo an Wildlife Medicine editor and the AAZV Board President:

Napier, J.E. and K. C. Gamble (eds). Infectious Diseases of Concern to Captive and Free Ranging Animals in North America, 1st ed. 2011. Infectious Disease Committee, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, Yulee, Florida. 374 pp. Website address: http://www.aazv.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=754.


What Other Essential Resources Should Every Wildlife Professional Know About?

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

In the Spotlight - A Bulletin on Universal Precautions for the Management of Bat White-nose Syndrome

USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Wildlife Health Bulletin - Universal Precautions for the Management of Bat White-nose Syndrome

...Infectious diseases such as WNS spread rapidly when a pathogen can persist in the environment without the need for host organisms, abundantly reproduce itself, and readily infect large numbers of animals. Regardless of the infectious agent (fungus, bacterium, or virus), standard procedures known as universal precautions can be implemented to reduce disease transmission and spread (Thrusfield, 2005; USDA National Animal Health Emergency Management System Guidelines: Biosecurity).

These standard disease management procedures as applied to WNS include decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and limitation of access to contaminated environments. The primary objective for implementing universal precautions is to prevent human-assisted movements of pathogens to unaffected locations.

... A variation to the recommendation to implement management actions (decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and site closures) across all habitats suitable for maintaining viable WNS fungus is to develop a targeted or zoned disease management program.

However, instituting management actions only at locations known to be contaminated by the WNS fungus may increase risk for disease spread, because: 1) there is currently no diagnostic method to rapidly and routinely screen environmental samples (e.g., cave soil) to identify contaminated sites (Lindner et al, 2010); and 2) identifying contaminated sites based solely upon the observation of sick bats is unreliable. Furthermore, as the WNS fungus has been found in environmental samples collected in caves and mines where WNS occurs (Puechmaille et al, 2011; Blehert et al, 2011), universal precautions indicate that presence of fungus must now be assumed unless absence can be proven.

Decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and site closures are currently in place to reduce the potential for humans to transfer the WNS fungus. These guidelines are based upon scientific standards routinely employed for the management of animal diseases and represent a responsible approach to minimize risk to important natural resources.

We cannot yet rapidly screen sites for the presence of WNS fungus when visibly infected bats are absent, we cannot safely and effectively treat wild bats for WNS, we cannot decontaminate fragile cave ecosystems upon which bats rely, nor can we limit the natural movements of bats. Modifying human activity by implementing decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and site closures are the options currently available for managing the spread of WNS; these procedures will be reviewed as indicated by additional scientific findings.

>>> READ ENTIRE WILDLIFE HEALTH BULLETIN

White-Nose Syndrome Resources
Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service; Credit: Ryan von Linden/New York Department of Environmental Conservation

Fish and Wildlife Service – WNS Web Page

• WNS National Plan [21-page report as pdf]

• WNS National Plan: Questions and Answers [2-page pdf document]
  
• Decontamination Protocols for Researchers [26-slide ppt]

• WNS Maps

• Images from WNS Survey Activities

• Comprehensive List of Resource Links

• Research Projects

National Wildlife Health Center – WNS Web Page

• WNS Health Bulletins

Wildlife Disease Information Node

• Collection of White-Nose Syndrome Journal Articles

What Other Essential WNS Resources Should Every Wildlife Professional Know About?

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

In the Spotlight: Yale Human Animal Medicine Project Blog

The Yale Human Animal Medicine Project is Blogging!


The Yale Human Animal Medicine Project is a center for “One Health” studies at the Yale School of Medicine. This project is working to pioneer clinical linkages between human, animal, and environmental health using a comparative “One Health” approach.

The focus areas of the Yale Human Animal Medicine Project include:

• Developing ways to better understand and use animal and human disease “sentinel” events in order to detect and control shared health threats from biological, chemical, and physical hazards in the environment.
  
  
• Development of exposure and risk-based approaches to prevent transmission of infections between animals and humans (zoonotic diseases) in agricultural and other animal work environments as well as community settings.
  
  
• Developing models for clinical collaboration and communication between physicians, veterinarians, and other animal, human, and environmental health professionals at the primary care level.
  
  
• Developing informatics tools for linking human and animal disease surveillance for better mapping and prediction of emerging disease threats.

The Yale Human Animal Medicine Project has launched a blog at http://humananimalmedicine.blogspot.com , to inform individuals about new developments at the convergence of human, animal, and environmental health,

Its latest post, Moving from "Us vs. Them" to "Shared Risk": Human and Animal Health are Inextricably Connected, discusses the rising risk of zoonotic disease (infections that spread between people and animals) and how treating wildlife as disease reservoirs that can threaten human health is not helpful. It ignores valuable information about environmental change and the significant role it can play in emerging diseases. Read more about the "shared risk"approach between humans and animals here.

As evident in this current post, the goal of the Project's blog is to offer its readers informative and interesting posts about the Project’s current activities, new journal articles, and news about One Health topics. For more information visit the Yale Human Animal Medicine Project website at http://medicine.yale.edu/labs/humananimalmedicine/index.html . You can also follow their activities through their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

>>> TO THE YALE HUMAN ANIMAL MEDICINE PROJECT BLOG

In the Spotlight – US House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on WNS

Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs Oversight Hearing:
Why We Should Care About Bats: Devastating Impact White-Nose Syndrome is Having on One of Nature’s Best Pest Controllers

On June 24, 2011, the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing, Why We Should Care about Bats: Devastating Impact White-Nose Syndrome is Having on One of Nature’s Best Pest Controllers.

Six witnesses were invited to testify and share their expertise on white-nose syndrome (WNS). The individuals testifying formed a diverse group affiliated with the private and public sector, including federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations and academic institutions. Transcripts of their testimonies are available from the webcast site. The recording of the hearing session is a little over 1 hour and 35 minutes in length.

The goals of this session were to "review the steps that have been taken over the past five years to control White-Nose Syndrome and the amount of money that has been spent on these efforts, assess the efficiency of working groups meant to contain if not stop this disease, and look for new ways of managing this deadly bat fungus."

Source: House Natural Resources Committee web site

>>> TO HEARING WEBCAST

White-Nose Syndrome Resources
Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service; Credit: Jonathan Mays, Wildlife Biologist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Fish and Wildlife Service – WNS Web Page

• WNS National Plan [21-page report as pdf]

• WNS National Plan: Questions and Answers [2-page pdf document]
  

• WNS Maps

• Images from WNS Survey Activities

• Comprehensive List of Resource Links

National Wildlife Health Center – WNS Web Page

• WNS Health Bulletins

Wildlife Disease Information Node

• Collection of White-Nose Syndrome Journal Articles

What Other Essential WNS Resources Should Every Wildlife Professional Know About?

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

In the Spotlight - Release of Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine Current Therapy Book

Recent Release of the Latest Volume of Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine
A Current Therapy

With coverage of current issues and emerging trends, Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, Volume 7 provides a comprehensive, all-new reference for the management of zoo and wildlife diseases. This latest volume, A Current Therapy, emphasizes the latest advances in the field, including nutrition, diagnosis, and treatment protocols.


Editors R. Eric Miller and Murray E. Fowler promote a philosophy of animal conservation, bridging the gap between captive and free-ranging wild animal medicine with chapters contributed by more than 100 international experts.


Cutting-edge coverage includes chapter titles such as:

• Disease Risk Analysis in Wildlife Health Field Studies
• Emerging Diseases at the Interface of People, Domestic Animals, and Wildlife
• Approaching Health Problems at the Wildlife-Domestic Animal Interface
• Wildlife Disease Ecology: What Can Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians Learn from this Discipline?
• Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs in Raptors
• White-Nose Syndrome in Cave Bats of North America
• Johne's Disease and Free-Ranging Wildlife

[Source: Elsevier Books]
[Post courtesy of USGS National Wildlife Health Center science feature]

>>> FULL DESCRIPTION OF BOOK

What Other Essential Resources Should Every Wildlife Professional Know About?

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

In the Spotlight: Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day – Today and Every Day


Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, started Earth Day to bring attention to environmental issues. It was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. Twenty years later, environmental advocate Dennis Hayes expanded the campaign worldwide through the Earth Day Network by broadening and diversifying the movement. Every year, over 190 countries celebrate Earth Day, and in 2009, the United Nations officially designated April 22 as International Mother Earth Day.


More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the single largest civic observance in the world. Many of these environmentally-minded citizens give their time and energy throughout the entire year to environmental programs or to citizen science projects, ranging from large national initiatives to small localized neighborhood efforts.


There are a number of volunteer projects that specifically monitor wildlife. Listed below are a few of these programs, which are either supported by the Wildlife Disease Information Node or by our colleagues in the wildlife health community. If you want to help promote a healthy ecosystem, volunteer with one of the programs below or a similar program in your area!



Avian Monitoring for Botulism Lakeshore Events (AMBLE) - http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/mortality_events/amble
Monitor bird health and beach conditions along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Door County, Wisconsin to increase the knowledge of avian botulism trends. Training sessions are scheduled to begin in May.

Butterflies and Moths - http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org
Share your sightings or photographs of moths and butterflies. The information collected, such as species occurrences and life histories, will be used to form or address research questions.

Garden BirdWatch - http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw
Collect observations of birds or other garden wildlife online that will help researchers answer important questions about how, why and when birds and other wildlife use gardens.

HealthMap - http://healthmap.org
Enter reports online or with a smartphone about sightings of illness in people, domestic animals, or wildlife to build a more comprehensive view of the global state of infectious disease for public health officials and other interested groups.

Maine Audubon Wildlife Road Watch - http://www.wildlifecrossing.net/maine
Record your observations of road-kill wildlife. Scientists will use this data to make Maine's state roads more wildlife-friendly and thereby reduce wildlife deaths and increase safety for people and animals.

Pollinators Monitoring Programs - http://tinyurl.com/pollinators-volunteer
Join one of the many citizen science pollinator monitoring projects and help scientists gather more data from a larger area than they could do on their own.

Seabird Ecological Assessment Network (SEANET) - http://www.tufts.edu/vet/seanet/volunteer.html
Choose a section of the Atlantic coastline to walk regularly and report your findings on beach conditions and seabird mortality. The information collected will be used to identify and mitigate threats to marine birds.

Wildlife Health Event Reporter (WHER) – http://www.wher.org
Report wildlife health observations online or with a smartphone to help researchers better understand wildlife disease occurrences, which inturn may lead to more effective disease control and prevention.

Sources:
* Wikipedia - Earth Day
* Earth Day Network - Earth Day: The History of A Movement

Other Volunteer Programs?

Do you have a volunteer program you want to promote? Send us a link the program’s website and we will share it with our readers.

In the Spotlight: Book Release - Environmental Contaminants in Biota

Environmental Contaminants in Biota
Interpreting Tissue Concentrations, Second Edition
Published by Taylor & Francis

Offering guidance on the ecotoxicologically meaningful interpretation of tissue concentrations, Environmental Contaminants in Biota, Interpreting Tissue Concentrations, Second Edition is updated with current data and new ways of analyzing those data as well as additional contaminants not previously considered.

Beginning with a history of wildlife toxicology and data interpretation, chapters cover a wide range of contaminants and their hazardous and lethal concentrations in various animals including DDT, Dioxins, PCBs, and PBDEs in aquatic organisms; methylmurcury, selenium, and trace metals in fishes and aquatic invertebrates; and pharmaceuticals and organic contaminants in marine mammals.

The book considers the impact of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and Dibenzofurans, and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers; cyclodiene; and other organochlorine pesticides in birds and mammals. Later chapters examine the effects and analysis of lead, cadmium, and radionuclides in biota.

Source: Publisher, Taylor & Francis web site

Sample of Table of Contents

• History of Wildlife Toxicology and the Interpretation of Contaminant Concentrations in Tissues
• DDT and Other Organohalogen Pesticides in Aquatic Organisms
• Dioxins, PCBs, and PBDEs in Aquatic Organisms
• Selenium Accumulation and Toxicity in Freshwater Fishes
• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Aquatic Organisms
• Organic Contaminants in Marine Mammals: Concepts in Exposure, Toxicity and Management
• Select Elements and Potential Adverse Effects in Cetaceans and Pinnipeds
  
• Toxicological Significance of Pesticide Residues in Aquatic Animals
• Lead in Birds

>>> TO FULL DESCRIPTION ON PUBLISHER WEB SITE

>>> TO SUMMARY BY NATIONAL WILDLIFE HEALTH CENTER (NWHC) WITH BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK CHAPTER, 'LEAD IN BIRDS', CO-AUTHORED BY NWHC SCIENTIST CHRISTIAN FRANSON

In the Spotlight: CCWHC Wildlife Disease Investigation Manual

Access Online the Wildlife Disease Investigation Manual

The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) released the second edition of its Wildlife Disease Investigation Manual in 2007. This invaluable, how-to-do manual is 101 pages in length and includes detailed illustrations. It is intended to be used "as a reference for people investigating wildlife mortality events or illness. It's primary objective is to ensure that appropriate samples are collected in the field, and that these reach a diagnostic laboratory in suitable condition for detailed examination. This will ensure an optimal chance to determine the cause and nature of the disease and to assess significance.

It is impossible to provide detailed guidelines that will be appropriate for all circumstances; our intent is to provide general directions that can be modified to fit the circumstances…. This will establish what type of samples and information are most appropriate, how these should be collected, stored and transported, and how many specimens can be examined.”

Source: CCWHC Manual 

Table of contents includes: 

• WHO TO CONTACT FOR ASSISTANCE
• RESPONDING TO DISEASED WILDLIFE
• ONE SICK OR DEAD ANIMAL
• INVESTIGATING AN OUT-BREAK OR DIE-OFF
• HOW TO TRANSPORT SPECIMENS TO THE LABORATORY
• SPECIMENS FOR FORENSIC (MEDICO-LEGAL) EXAMINATION
• PROTECT YOURSELF
• KILLING SICK ANIMALS SAFELY AND HUMANELY
• NECROPSY: Dissection in the Field
• DISPOSING OF ANIMAL CARCASSES  

>>> TO MANUAL [pdf]

What Other Essential Resources Should Every Wildlife Professional Know About?

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

In the Spotlight - USGS Publications Warehouse

Find Recently Released USGS Publications or Discover Archived Gems

In July 2010, the USGS Publications Warehouse web site was updated with a fresh new look. From the newly designed home page, visitors can quickly see what publications were added to the online library today, in the last 7 days or by past months. They can also learn what hot topics are being searched as well as the most popular publications in the last 30 days, last 3 days or for all time.

This growing collection dates back as far as 1880, and currently holds approximately 91,221 publication citations, of which over 53,211 are available to read online. Each item is cataloged with descriptive information about it, such as publication type, publication date, description, and author. This information can be viewed by clicking on the record title. In addition, the record will indicate whether the item is available through the USGS store or online for immediate viewing.

Visitors can use the simple or advanced search function to locate publications on a specific topic such as ‘disease’, which brings back over 1070 items, a rather large results set. To help users manage copious pages of results, the Warehouse site offers a couple of options, which include the ability to sort by title, author and date. In addition, the results can be limited through the combination of 14 different filters. Once the user is satisfied with the set of results, they can save the search or export the results into different usable formats (e.g. Excel, csv or RIS).


An example of wildlife disease related titles available through the Warehouse:

• AVIAN CHOLERA IN WATERFOWL: THE ROLE OF LESSER SNOW AND ROSS’S GEESE AS DISEASE CARRIERS IN THE PLAYA LAKES REGION [pdf]
• Salmonid Whirling Disease
• Serologic and hematologic values of wild coyotes in Wisconsin [pdf]

So next time you are looking for information on wildlife diseases, make the USGS Publications Warehouse one of your online stops.

In the Spotlight – Avian Influenza Online Training

Avian Influenza: Detection in Wild Birds - Field Collection of Samples

The Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (MCEIRS) is one of five Centers funded by the National Institutes of Health. The director of the Center for the Infectious Disease Research Policy, University of Minnesota also serves MCIERS.

A series of avian influenza training modules are currently available through the MCEIRS Online Training Portal. Individual modules are listed with links to detailed summaries. Each module contains several e-learning lessons and a knowledge check to reinforce your learning, and continuing education credit and certificates are available.

The module, Avian Influenza: Detection in Wild Birds- Field Collection of Samples, is the result of a collaborative effort between MCEIRS and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center. Registration is free, but required in order to take the training.

Intended Audience
This training module is directed toward a variety of professions and backgrounds including but not limited to: wildlife professionals, government workers, researchers, veterinarians, students, international workers, and other field professionals working in avian influenza surveillance programs.

Overall Goal
The goals of this training module are to provide an overview of the techniques for collecting samples for the detection of avian influenza viruses in wild bird populations, the selection and use of personal protective equipment, and the handling and shipment of samples. The role of wild birds in the maintenance and spread of these viruses and the importance of monitoring wild birds for the presence of avian influenza viruses will also be addressed.

Objectives
Upon successful completion of this module the learner will have:

1. A basic understanding of the role of wild birds in the maintenance and spread of influenza viruses and the importance of monitoring for the influenza viruses they carry
2. Familiarity with the methods of sample collection and handling when monitoring for avian influenza viruses

Accreditation
Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine and Wildlife Society credit hours are available, as detailed when you enter the training module. In addition, a certificate of completion from MCEIRS can be obtained.

Source: MCEIRS Online Training Portal

>>> TO TRAINING MODULE

Other Training Resources that Every Wildlife Professional Should Know About?

Know of an invaluable training resource that every wildlife professional should be aware of? Send the title and a link (if available) of this indispensable resource to us at wdin@usgs.gov, and we will share it with your colleagues on the Digest.