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Publications

View citations of publications by National Wildlife Health Center scientists since our founding in 1975.  Access to full-text is provided where possible.

Filter Total Items: 1613

Duck plague epizootics in the United States, 1967-1995

In 1967, the first confirmed diagnosis of duck plague (DP) in the USA was made from pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) on commercial duck farms on Long Island, New York. Within 10 mo, DP was confirmed as the cause of death in migratory waterfowl on a Long Island bay. This paper reviews 120 DP epizootics reported from 1967 to 1995 that involved waterfowl species native to North America or
Authors
Kathryn A. Converse, Gregory A. Kidd

Oral chytridiomycosis in the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa)

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was originally reported in wild frog populations in Panama and Australia, and from captive frogs in the U.S. National Zoological Park (Washington, DC). This recently described fungus affects the keratinized epidermis of amphibians and has been implicated as a causative factor in the declines of frog populations. We report here the presence of B. de
Authors
G. M. Fellers, D. E. Green, J.E. Longcore

Diagnostic histological findings in Yosemite toads (Bufo canorus) from die-off in the 1970s

Twelve adult and 25 larval Yosemite toad (Bufo canorus) specimens from the eastern Sierra Nevada of California were examined histologically for evidence of infectious, toxicological, and degenerative diseases. The preserved toads were selected from 21 that had been salvaged or collected during a die-off in 1976-1979 that immediately preceded a population decline. Causes of death of four toads were
Authors
D. Earl Green, Cynthia Kagarise Sherman

Experimental infection of nontarget species of rodents and birds with Brucella abortus strain RB51 vaccine

The Brucella abortus vaccine strain RB51 (SRB51) is being considered for use in the management of brucellosis in wild bison (Bison bison) and elk (Cervus elaphus) populations in the Greater Yellowstone Area (USA). Evaluation of the vaccine's safety in non-target species was considered necessary prior to field use. Between June 1998 and December 1999, ground squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii, n 
Authors
M.C. Januszewski, S.C. Olsen, R. G. McLean, L. Clark, Jack C. Rhyan

Search for biological specimens from midwestern parks: pitfalls and solutions

This paper describes the results of searches of herbarium and museum collections and databases for records of vertebrate and vascular plant specimens that had been collected in 15 midwestern National Park System units. The records of these specimens were previously unknown to the National Park Service (NPS). In the course of our searches, numerous obstacles were encountered that prevented us from
Authors
J. P. Bennett

Disease emergence in birds: Challenges for the twenty-first century

The paper by Hartup et al. (2001) on House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) conjunctivitis is an example of the rapid geographic spread that can result from disease emergence in naïve populations. That event was neither novel nor transient relative to its occurrence or effects. Disease emergence and reemergence are hallmarks of the latter part of the twentieth century (Center for Disease Control 1994,
Authors
Milton Friend, R. G. McLean, F. J. Dein

West Nile virus transmission and ecology in birds

The ecology of the strain of West Nile virus (WNV) introduced into the United States in 1999 has similarities to the native flavivirus, St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus, but has unique features not observed with SLE virus or with WNV in the old world. The primary route of transmission for most of the arboviruses in North America is by mosquito, and infected native birds usually do not suffer mor
Authors
Robert G. McLean, S. R. Ubico, Douglas E. Docherty, Wallace R. Hansen, Louis Sileo, T. S. Mcnamara

Changing patterns of wildlife diseases

The purpose of this paper was not to analyze the effects of global warming on wildlife disease patterns, but to serve as a springboard for future efforts to identify those wildlife diseases, including zoonotic diseases, that could be influenced the most by warming climates and to encourage the development of models to examine the potential effects. Hales et al. (1999) examined the relationship of
Authors
R. G. McLean

Pleurochrysis pseudoroscoffensis (Prymnesiophyceae) blooms on the surface of the Salton Sea, California

Dense populations of the coccolithophore Pleurochrysis pseudoroscoffensis were found in surface films at several locations around the Salton Sea in February–August, 1999. An unidentified coccolithophorid was also found in low densities in earlier studies of the lake (1955–1956). To our knowledge, this is the first record of this widespread marine species in any lake. Samples taken from surface fil
Authors
Kristen M. Reifel, M. P. McCoy, M. A. Tiffany, Tonie E. Rocke, Charles Trees, S. B. Barlow, D. J. Faulkner, S. H. Hurlbert

Quantitative analysis of herpes virus sequences from normal tissue and fibropapillomas of marine turtles with real-time PCR

Quantitative real-time PCR has been used to measure fibropapilloma-associated turtle herpesvirus (FPTHV) pol DNA loads in fibropapillomas, fibromas, and uninvolved tissues of green, loggerhead, and olive ridley turtles from Hawaii, Florida, Costa Rica, Australia, Mexico, and the West Indies. The viral DNA loads from tumors obtained from terminal animals were relatively homogenous (range 2a??20 cop
Authors
S.L. Quackenbush, R.N. Casey, R.J. Murcek, T.A. Paul, Thierry M. Work, C.J. Limpus, A. Chaves, L. duToit, J.V. Perez, A.A. Aguirre, T.R. Spraker, J.A. Horrocks, L.A. Vermeer, G.S. Balazs, J.W. Casey

Lead poisoning of waterfowl by contaminated sediment in the Coeur D'Alene River

The Coeur d'Alene River basin in Idaho has been contaminated by mine tailings that have impaired the health of wildlife since the early 1900s. In other parts of the world, virtually all lead poisoning of waterfowl is caused by the ingestion of manmade lead artifacts, primarily spent lead shotshell pellets or, occasionally, fishing sinkers. However, in the Coeur d'Alene River basin in Idaho, nonart
Authors
L. Sileo, L. H. Creekmore, D. J. Audet, M.R. Snyder, C.U. Meteyer, J. Christian Franson, L. N. Locke, M. R. Smith, D.L. Finley