Journal of Wildlife Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detected in 41 Species at Risk in Canada.","authors":"Damien O Joly, Yohannes Berhane, Jeff Bowman, Jolene A Giacinti, Dayna Goldsmith, Nathan Hentze, Megan E B Jones, Claire M Jardine, Stéphane Lair, Erin K Leonard, Ariane Massé, Samira Mubareka, Cynthia Pekarik, Julie Paré, Neil Pople, Margo J Pybus, Brian Stevens, Trevor Thompson, Amie Enns, Maeve Winchester","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-25-00048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-25-00048","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5Nx virus clade 2.3.4.4b has impacted wild birds and mammals in Canada since late 2021, including species at risk. We compared detections and conservation status to highlight the need to integrate disease surveillance with conservation planning when assessing risks and to guide management.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mortality Investigation of a Free-ranging Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) in a Fragmented Landscape in Northern Costa Rica.","authors":"Jorge Rojas-Jiménez, Sonia M Hernandez, Emmanuel Rojas-Valerio, Roberto W I Olivares, Elías Barquero-Calvo","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-24-00222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-24-00222","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Costa Rica, human-tapir conflicts are increasing, including disease transmission, as Baird's tapirs (Tapirus bairdii) move into human-altered landscapes. We investigated the death of a wild male tapir, identifying a systemic Actinomyces israelii infection. The potential of this pathogen being an emerging health threat for tapir conservation warrants further study.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in Free-Ranging Wild Boar and Axis Deer in Uruguay.","authors":"Andrés M Cabrera, Florencia S Ruppel, Soledad E Echeverría, Ramiro Tomasina, Fabiana González, Gustavo A Castro, Ma Laureana De Brun, Alexandra Cravino, Florencia Cancela, Richard Correa, Martin Altuna, Rodrigo Puentes, Yester Basmadjián, Carlos A Robello, Santiago Mirazo","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-24-00133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-24-00133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Apicomplexans are endoparasites that infect various animals, including humans, causing significant diseases such as malaria, babesiosis, cryptosporidiosis, neosporosis, and toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a notable public health concern due to its severe effects on pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. Infection routes include ingestion of oocysts from definitive hosts (felines) or consumption of contaminated meat. Neosporosis, caused by Neospora caninum, causes reproductive issues and significant economic losses in domestic cattle (Bos taurus). Wildlife plays a crucial role in the life cycles of these parasites, with species such as wild boar (Sus scrofa) and axis deer (Axis axis) acting as reservoirs. These ungulate species can affect livestock production systems and public health, particularly in regions like Latin America where they are invasive. Understanding the seroprevalence and transmission dynamics of these parasites in wildlife is vital for developing effective control measures. During 2020-23, 254 wild boar and 90 axis deer blood samples were collected from eight and five departments in Uruguay, respectively. Serologic tests for T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies were conducted using ELISA, with further confirmation of N. caninum antibodies through western blotting. Seroprevalence values of T. gondii were mean 47.7% in wild boars and mean 8.4% in axis deer; whereas N. caninum was more prevalent in axis deer (mean 49.8%) than in wild boars (mean 0.7%). Detection of antibodies against both pathogens in a single individual occurred occasionally. These findings suggest that wild boar and axis deer may play significant roles in maintaining and amplifying T. gondii or N. caninum (or both) infections in Uruguay, and underscore the need for targeted control strategies to mitigate the spread of these pathogens, which have implications for both livestock health and public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seven Decades of Seminal Contributions on Rabies in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases.","authors":"Charles E Rupprecht","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-25-00108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-25-00108","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Over the past 75 years, the Wildlife Disease Association has served as a primary professional resource for the dissemination of scientific information and the generation of seminal contributions on diverse wildlife health issues. Historical examination of the organization's records from 1951 onwards reveals a dynamic evolution in communicative formats, from newsletters, to microfiches and bulletins, to culmination in the current periodical, the Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Using rabies as one major example, to date nearly 300 documents have appeared as Letters to the Editor, short communications, full research articles, engaging perspectives, or expansive reviews. Given the high case fatality, global distribution, broad host susceptibility, and significance to agriculture, human and veterinary medicine, and conservation biology, rabies serves as an ideal One Health exemplar shepherded by the Journal over time. Expansive topics have encompassed individual species case reports and series; sensitive and specific diagnostic methods for enhanced laboratory-based surveillance; disease ecology and control and prevention issues; epidemiological insights; disease emergence; public health engagement; pathogenesis; bio-economics; modeling considerations; host-agent biological traits, serological surveys, and novel vaccinology applied to free-ranging animals; and modern virological techniques. As such, using rabies as a subjective surrogate, the Journal has served as a critical resource, not only to chart the course of progress in the wildlife health field historically, from its rather humble North American origins during the mid-20th century, but also as its continued scientific relevance today in promotion of the transdisciplinary mission of a global professional organization.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) Home Range and Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Distribution in West Virginia, USA.","authors":"Shylo R Johnson, Anni Yang, Kim M Pepin, Justin W Fischer, Nikki J Walker, Samual A Mills, Kurt C VerCauteren, Amy T Gilbert, Richard B Chipman","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-24-00216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-24-00216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) has successfully prevented appreciable spread of the raccoon rabies virus variant (RRVV) west of the Appalachian Mountains in the US. However, local and regional elimination of RRVV has been challenging, particularly in areas of the eastern US with routine spillover transmission to striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) populations. We used rabies antibody seroprevalence monitoring data from two ORV baiting strategies, a 75 baits/km2 applied from 2012 to 2013 and a 300 baits/km2 applied from 2014 to 2016, in West Virginia, US, and home range estimates on the basis of data from striped skunks collared with a global positioning system in 2014 and 2015, to identify factors influencing skunk home range size and movements with respect to land cover classes and to compare the efficiency of hypothetical aerial ORV baiting scenarios that may improve bait uptake by skunks and increase post-ORV rabies antibody seroprevalence. When baits were deployed in late August, the mean core and overall skunk home ranges were 0.135 km2 (±0.086 km2 SD) and 0.648 km2 (±0.400 km2 SD), respectively. Skunks preferred, and maintained smaller home ranges in, pasture and had larger home ranges in deciduous-mixed forest. The ORV baiting scenarios that we explored varied in bait density, flight-line spacing between baiting transects, and flight patterns followed to deliver baits. Bait density was the most important factor that we identified; higher bait density increased predicted seroprevalence and possible bait uptake. The crisscross flight pattern compared with the parallel pattern had higher costs without a substantial increase in hypothetical bait uptake. This research provides insight into skunk ecology in a rural area of the eastern US and how various aerial baiting strategies might influence the efficiency and effectiveness of ORV related to skunks.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sarcoptic Mange in Wild Foxes from Central Chile: Fine-Scale Assessment of a Global Disease.","authors":"Francisca Astorga, Diego Ramírez-Álvarez, Belén Céspedes, Constanza Napolitano","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-24-00207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-24-00207","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sarcoptic mange (SM), caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, is a globally distributed disease affecting a broad range of hosts and posing a potential threat to wildlife. However, its full ecologic impact remains unclear. This study investigates SM occurrence in two native fox species (Lycalopex spp.) in rural central Chile, exploring its association with macrohabitat types, land covers, domestic dogs, and human presence. Fieldwork was conducted across three rural sites (<56 km apart), representing distinct macrohabitats: exotic monoculture tree plantations (Alto Colorado) and two native Mediterranean coastal forest sites, La Estrella (thorn shrubland) and Callihue (sclerophyllous forest). At each site, 10 camera traps were deployed within 100-ha grids for 13 mo. Foxes were detected in all stations, and individuals showing lesions consistent with SM (SM-foxes) were found in 24 of 30 stations, accounting for 329 of 3,140 fox images (10.4% observed prevalence). Domestic dogs were recorded at 28 stations, detected up to 7.9 km from human settlements. In our fine-scale approach, foxes, SM-foxes, and dogs were present across all macrohabitats and land covers, tending to be more abundant in native landscapes. The occurrence of SM was weakly associated with human presence and, to a lesser extent, with domestic dogs, that latter of which nonetheless remain the most plausible original source of SM in the region. In general, SM occurrence, foxes, and domestic dogs were more frequent closer to human settlements and farther from urban areas, reflecting a complex association with human presence. Human settlements were not consistently related to altered macrohabitats such as exotic plantations. Sarcoptes scabiei circulation is probably maintained through both direct and indirect contact, involving occasional spillover from dogs, prey, and infected carcasses. These findings underscore the importance of rural areas as hotspots for dogs-fox interactions and highlight the importance of understanding fine-scale pathogen dynamics for wildlife conservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Early Bird Catches the Parasite: Potential Invertebrate Pathway for Baylisascaris procyonis to Infect Songbirds.","authors":"Scott E Henke","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-25-00045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-25-00045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Baylisascaris procyonis larva migrans is a debilitating and potentially lethal zoonotic, parasitic condition that can infect a large variety of paratenic hosts, including birds and mammals and even humans. The typical pathway to develop baylisascariasis is to ingest B. procyonis eggs from contaminated feces or through contaminated soil where contaminated fecal matter has decayed. I hypothesized that earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) living in soils contaminated with B. procyonis eggs from decayed feces of its definitive host, raccoons (Procyon lotor), would incidentally ingest B. procyonis eggs, and in turn, if earthworms were consumed by songbirds, songbirds would become infected with B. procyonis larvae, resulting in baylisascariasis. I placed 100 earthworms in B. procyonis-infused soil and determined that 92% of earthworms had a mean and SE of 7.3±0.4 B. procyonis eggs in their alimentary canals. When B. procyonis-infected earthworms were fed to European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), 94% (17/18) of starlings displayed signs of ataxia, torticollis, and paralysis, and 11/18 (61%) died within 22 d of first ingestion of B. procyonis-infected earthworms. White blood cell counts of starlings that ingested B. procyonis-infected earthworms increased nearly threefold, percentage of eosinophils increased 25-fold, and percentage of lymphocytes increased and percentage of heterophils decreased from day 0 to day 12 postingestion. Starlings within the control group remained healthy and displayed normal behaviors. This study highlights an overlooked pathway of baylisascariasis in paratenic hosts, which has potential as a mortality factor for many species within terrestrial ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145081228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Doxapram May Improve Reliability of Oxygen Supplementation for Treatment of Anesthesia-Induced Hypoxemia of Moose (Alces alces).","authors":"Tiffany M Wolf, Lauren Ienello, Seth Moore, E J Isaac, Rachel Thompson, Alonso G P Guedes","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-25-00008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-25-00008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Drug-induced hypoxemia can occur with the immobilization of free-living moose (Alces alces). We describe the physiologic response of 12 adult females immobilized with thiafentanil and xylazine and exhibiting clinical signs of hypoxemia before (pretreatment) and after (posttreatment) nasal oxygen supplementation (4 L/min) with or without intravenous doxapram.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145081087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multistakeholder Advances on a Definition of American Bison (Bison bison) Health.","authors":"Catherine B Krus, Jameson R Brennan, Jeff M Martin, Danielle E Buttke","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-24-00209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-24-00209","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>North American bison (Bison bison) face significant challenges to their recovery, including disease risks associated with translocation and genetic bottlenecks. This study aimed to achieve a multidisciplinary consensus on a definition of bison health and to identify key infectious disease concerns linked to bison translocation. A two-round Delphi survey was conducted with 12 of 22 invited experts representing public, tribal, nonprofit, and private sectors. Participants defined bison health as the ability of populations to express natural behaviors, demonstrate resilience to external stressors, and achieve high reproductive output within their environment with minimal intervention. Mycoplasma bovis was identified as a high-priority pathogen due to its severe economic and health impacts. This definition of bison health may be useful as a basis for guiding health monitoring and informing policy as well as identifying key needs of the bison sector.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145081068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pathogenic Bacteria Associated with the Feces of the Violet-Crowned (Ramosomyia violiceps) and Broad-Billed (Cynanthus latirostris) Hummingbirds in Disturbed Forest and an Urban Environment in West-Central Mexico.","authors":"Lizeth N Raygoza-Alcantar, Verónica Carolina Rosas-Espinoza, Carla Vanessa Sánchez-Hernández, Flor Rodríguez-Gómez, Joicye Hernández-Zulueta, Fabián A Rodríguez-Zaragoza","doi":"10.7589/JWD-D-25-00013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-25-00013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human activities, such as habitat fragmentation, have displaced wild birds into urban and agricultural areas, increasing their exposure to enteric pathogens through contaminated food and water. Molting stress further heightens their susceptibility to infection. This study examined 1) the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter jejuni in fecal samples from Violet-Crowned (Ramosomyia violiceps) and Broad-Billed (Cynanthus latirostris) Hummingbirds across two environments: disturbed forest and urban; 2) potential associations with contamination sources (wastewater, rivers, water bodies, and livestock feces); and 3) the effects of molting. Fecal samples were analyzed using real-time PCR and Bayesian generalized linear mixed models to evaluate five response variables: individual pathogen presence, combined pathogen presence, and pathogen copresence. Predictors included hummingbird species, molt, hummingbird species, molt, environment type, and distance to contamination sources. Of the bacteria, K. pneumoniae exhibited the highest prevalence (46%), followed by S. enterica (9.5%) and L. monocytogenes (7.9%); C. jejuni was not detected. Results indicated that 1) R. violiceps had approximately threefold higher odds of K. pneumoniae presence than C. latirostri and 2) molting individuals had 6.5-fold higher odds of carrying at least one pathogen. Neither environment type nor distance to contamination sources showed significant effects. The high prevalence of K. pneumoniae highlights the urgent need to preserve natural habitats and reduce anthropogenic pressures on wild bird populations. Molting increases susceptibility to gastrointestinal pathogens, while species-specific differences suggest variable resistance mechanisms. These findings underscore the importance of 1) habitat conservation to minimize pathogen exposure, 2) urban green space management with strict hygiene protocols for artificial feeders, and 3) integrated wildlife pathogen surveillance within One Health frameworks.</p>","PeriodicalId":17602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Wildlife Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145081097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}