Wildlife Disease News Digest

TOP STORIES

New fish virus partly responsible for last summer's carp die-off, MNR says
The Petersborough Examiner - www.thepetersboroughexaminer.com
9 May 2008
J Neeley

Area: Ontario, Canada - Map It

A fish virus new to Ontario has been identified as one cause of the carp die-off that littered area lakes with 12,000 to 24,000 fish last summer. John Cooper, Lake Erie management unit for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), said extensive testing by the University of Guelph and the federal fish health labs confirmed finding a new fish virus to Ontario — the Koi herpesvirus. The MNR previously identified a bacteria, columnaris, as the cause of the fish kill, but now say the new virus also killed fish.

The Koi herpesvirus, first found in North America in 1999, was discovered in two fish collected from the Scugog and Pigeon lakes last year, Cooper said. It only affects carp, goldfish and koi, he said, and is not a danger to humans, "because it can't live in a body as warm as a human." Carp infected with Koi Herpesvirus are safe to eat and handle, he said. Last year's die-off also will not threaten carp counts for this season, Cooper said.

>>>FULL ARTI CLE

Related News
>>>Hotline and more: MNR is ready if fish start to die

Dying Bats in the Northeast Remain a Mystery
U.S. Geological Survey Newsroom - www.usgs.gov/newsroom
9 May 2008

Investigations continue into the cause of a mysterious illness that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of bats since March 2008. At more than 25 caves and mines in the northeastern U.S, bats exhibiting a condition now referred to as "white-nosed syndrome" have been dying. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently issued a Wildlife Health Bulletin, advising wildlife and conservation officials throughout the U.S. to be on the lookout for the condition known as "white-nose syndrome" and to report suspected cases of the disease.

USGS wildlife disease specialist Dr. Kimberli Miller advises that "anyone finding sick or dead bats should avoid handling them and should contact their state wildlife conservation agency or the nearest U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service field office to report their observation." Large-scale wildlife mortality events should be reported to the USGS at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/mortality_events/reporting.jsp.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related Links
>>>National Wildlife Health Center Health Bulletin - White-Nose Syndrome in Bats in the Northeastern U.S.
>>>FWS FAQ about White-nose Syndrome [pdf]
>>>Map of White-nose Syndrome Occurance by County [Map]
>>>FWS Susi von Oettingen talks white-nose syndrome in bats [Video]

Bovine Tuberculosis Confirmed in Manitoba
Canada News Centre - news.gc.ca
8 May 2008

Area - Manitoba, Canada - Map It

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been confirmed in a five-year-old beef cow from a herd in Manitoba. The herd is located within 10 km of Riding Mountain National Park, in a portion of the Riding Mountain Eradication Area (RMEA) that is considered to be at highest risk for bovine TB. The herd was tested in March 2008 under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) enhanced surveillance program and the test result for this cow was considered to be suspicious.

The animal was ordered destroyed and tissue samples were submitted to the CFIA laboratory in Ottawa for further testing. Bovine TB was confirmed on May 1. No part of the infected cow entered the human or animal food chain. There is no public health risk associated with this case. This finding does not affect Manitoba’s status as bovine TB-free under the Health of Animals Regulations. As well, Canada’s status for international trade of animals and animal products is not affected by this finding.

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Bug threatens Hell's Canyon bighorn herds
Wallowa County Chieftain - www.wallowacountychieftain.info
8 May 207
K Ellyn
Photo Courtesy of Wallowa County Chieftain

Area: Hell's Canyon, Oregon, USA - Map It

Five of seven bighorn sheep in the Lostine herd tested positive for a deadly, pneumonia-causing bacteria last year, resulting in a wholesale capture of the herd and a course of antibiotics for all 33 sheep. So far, so good, said Vic Coggins, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife district wildlife biologist and author of the bighorn program. "We are seeing less coughing and nasal discharge in bighorns treated with the antibiotic," said Coggins.

"We are hopeful that the drugs will reduce bacterial levels in adults and result in improved lamb survival next year." Even a half-dozen of lambs would be "improved lamb survival," since the Lostine herd lost most of its lambs to disease in 2007. The Hell's Canyon Initiative group, of which ODFW is just one member, had hoped to have 2,000 bighorns in the wilderness area by 2007. However, contact with domestic flocks of sheep and goats and the transmission of disease has continued to plague the program and currently there are about 900 sheep in 17 herds in the Hells Canyon area.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

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