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Fish Egg Disinfectant Shown to Prevent Transmission of Devastating Fish Disease: Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Eliminated in Treated Eggs

A disinfection solution presently used for salmon eggs also prevents transmission of the virus that causes viral hemorrhagic septicemia or VHS -- one of the most dangerous viral diseases of fish -- in other hatchery-reared fish eggs, according to new U.S. Geological Survey-led research.

VHS has caused large fish kills in wild fish in the U.S., especially in the Great Lakes region, where thousands of fish have died from the virus over the last few years. The disease causes internal bleeding in fish, and although in the family of viruses that includes rabies, is not harmful to humans.

Thus far, the virus has been found in more than 25 species of fish in Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie, St. Clair, Superior and Ontario, as well as the Saint Lawrence River and inland lakes in New York, Michigan and Wisconsin.

USGS Newsroom - www.usgs.gov/newsroom
02 February 2010

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Storm Runoff and Sewage Treatment Outflow Contaminated With Household Pesticides

Pyrethroids, among the most widely-used home pesticides, are winding up in California rivers at levels toxic to some stream-dwellers, possibly endangering the food supply of fish and other aquatic animals, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Southern Illinois University (SIU).

. . . Although the pyrethroid levels were low -- around 10-20 parts per trillion -- they were high enough to kill a test organism similar to a small shrimp that is used to assess water safety.

. . . Fish would not be affected by such low levels, Weston said, but aquatic larvae that the fish eat, such as the larvae of mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies, could be, and should be studied.

Science Daily - www.sciencedaily.com
03 February 2010
Photo credit: D Weston/UC Berkeley

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Journal Article Cited

Urban and Agricultural Sources of Pyrethroid Insecticides to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California. Environmental Science & Technology. Available online 2 February 2010.

Pneumonia found in 4th Mont. bighorn sheep herd

State wildlife officials have confirmed an outbreak of pneumonia in a fourth herd of bighorn sheep in west-central Montana.

The latest occurrence was found in the Upper Rock Creek herd, which had about 340 sheep in May, FWP biologist Ray Vinkey said Monday.

Vinkey collected three sheep Saturday afternoon and confirmed the pneumonia diagnosis. Once bighorns contract pneumonia, they usually die within a few weeks.

Michigan Live - www.mlive.com (Source: Associated Press)
01 February 2010
Location: Montana, USA - Map It

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Reported Wildlife Mortality Events to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center Updated

USGS and a network of partners across the country work on documenting wildlife mortality events in order to provide timely and accurate information on locations, species and causes of death. This information was updated on January 29, 2010 the USGS National Wildlife Health Center web page, New and Ongoing Wildlife Mortality Events Nationwide. Quarterly Mortality Reports are also available from this page. These reports go back to 1995.

USGS National Wildlife Health Center
29 January 2010
Area: United States

>>> Updated Wildlife Mortality Event Table

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo credit: P Cairns/NPL