National Wildlife Health Center Newsletter - Spring 2024
Stay up-to-date on our wildlife health research and activities.
Stay up-to-date on our wildlife health research and activities.
Planning underway for a new NWHC Facility
Learn more about the process and how to get involved.
Learn more about the process and how to get involved.
Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership event reporting system
View current and historic information on wildlife morbidity and mortality events in North America.
View current and historic information on wildlife morbidity and mortality events in North America.
Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease
Track the spread of chronic wasting disease in North America.
Track the spread of chronic wasting disease in North America.
Pathology Case of the Month
Notable wildlife mortality cases at the NWHC are highlighted in the Pathology Case of the Month series.
Notable wildlife mortality cases at the NWHC are highlighted in the Pathology Case of the Month series.
National Wildlife Health Center
Welcome to the National Wildlife Health Center! Our mission is to advance wildlife health science for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment.
Explore SCIENCE to learn more about wildlife diseases, ongoing projects, the Honolulu Field Station, and our services.
Explore WEB TOOLS to access WHISPers, wildlife health bulletins, our field manual, and more.
Honolulu Field Station
Honolulu Field Station
The NWHC HFS provides support to the natural resource communities of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin in the investigation of wildlife diseases.
News
Pathology Case of the Month - Sea Otter
Pathology Case of the Month - Sea Otter
Pathology Case of the Month - Little Brown Bat
Pathology Case of the Month - Little Brown Bat
Pathology Case of the Month - Western Gull
Pathology Case of the Month - Western Gull
Publications
Sero-epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza viruses among wild birds in subarctic intercontinental transition zones
Background: The geographic expansion and evolution of A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1) (Gs/GD) lineage H5Nx highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses since 1996 have raised awareness of enzootic circulation among migratory birds and the potential for intercontinental transport and spread. Recent Pacific- and Atlantic-route introductions of HPAI to North America were facilitated by avian migra
Hirsutonosema embarrassi n. gen. n. sp. (Phylum Microsporidia) in the Ovary of Mucket (Actinonaias ligamentina), Plain Pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium), and Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea) (Unionidae) from the Embarrass River, Wisconsin, USA
During an epidemiological survey following a mortality event of freshwater mussels in 2018 in the Embarrass River, Wisconsin, USA, we identified a novel microsporidian parasite in the ovaries of mucket (Actinonaias ligamentina), plain pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium), and fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea) (Unionidae). Histopathology showed round-to-oval microsporidian spores in the cytoplasm of oocy
Retrospective review of the pathology of American pikas
American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are small lagomorphs that live in mountainous talus areas of western North America. Studies on the histopathology of American pikas are limited. We summarize here the clinical histories, and gross and histologic findings of 12 American pikas, including 9 captive (wild-caught) and 3 wild animals. Death was often attributed to stress (transport, handling, anesthesi
Science
Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in 34 US states and five Canadian provinces in free-ranging cervids and/or commercial captive cervid facilities. CWD has been detected in free-ranging cervids in 34 states and four provinces and in captive cervid facilities in 19 states and three provinces.
Interagency coordination on coral health
The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) supports coral health through participation in two interagency coordination bodies, the Florida Disturbance Advisory Committee, which is focused on joint management of the Florida Coral Reef Tract, and the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which is focused on joint management of reef resources within U.S. Territories in both the Caribbean and Pacific.
Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease
The USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Ventana Systems, Inc. , and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) are applying a systems approach to map and model the complex relationships among ecological, epidemiological, social, and political processes affecting CWD. Through a participatory modeling process, we gathered subject matter...