NWDC Report - United States Animal Health Association

The Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative
The Northeast: “hotspot” for
emerging infectious diseases
White-nose
Syndrome: Bats
Avian infl. A
H3N8 virus:
Seals
Fungal Disease:
Snakes
Timber rattlesnakes in NH: ~50% decline
Bat populations: ~80% decline
Monitoring Wildlife Health in the NE:
Challenges
• Wildlife agencies have many priorities
• Most states lack a wildlife health specialist
• No regional reporting/communications system
• Lack of shared, accessible disease database
Result:
• Low-level or isolated mortality events
(possibly signaling an outbreak) often
undiagnosed
• Response to disease reactive / sluggish
versus proactive
We Need a Regional System For Wildlife
Disease Response in the Northeast
The Northeast Wildlife Disease
Cooperative
A proactive, regional approach to detecting and responding
to wildlife disease would save species, taxpayer dollars and
would safeguard human health.
Mission and Approach
Mission
To preserve healthy animals, humans, and ecosystems through
wildlife health monitoring and diagnostics, cutting edge research,
and education and outreach.
Approach
• Align multiple veterinary diagnostic laboratories to provide
wildlife health services to members
• Membership by state wildlife agencies
• Labs and members cooperate, share data & information
Diagnostic Laboratories and Expertise
University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University, Animal Health Diagnostic Center
University of Connecticut, Connecticut Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
University of Maine, Animal Health Lab
Expertise:
Fresh and saltwater fishes
Lobsters and other crustaceans
Marine and terrestrial mammals
Birds of all types
Amphibians and reptiles
Small carnivores
Cervids
Bivalves, cephalopods
Organizational Structure & Function
• Diagnostics provided to members by their nearest NWDC lab
• Specific disease testing done by NWDC lab with the expertise
• Members pay annual fee for other services:
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Training workshops on wildlife health and disease
Timely advice and guidance
Supplies for field investigation of mortality/disease
Assistance with research studies
• Diagnostic and other data entered into shared database
Organizational Structure & Function
Financial strategy
Lean operation
Distributed resources/effort
Make use of everyone’s strengths
(NWDC “headquarters”)
NWDC website: http://sites.tufts.edu/nwdc/
NWDC Member Services
• Diagnostics and surveillance
• Educational workshops and materials
• Accessible wildlife health database
• Advice on issues related to wildlife health and disease
• Streamlined communications and response system
One Health approach
NWDC Member Services
Dr. Walt Cottrell, NWDC Field Veterinarian
• Advice (email or phone)
• Assistance with research studies
• Training workshops
Sample questions “from the field”:
Suppose you had a moose with head trauma/bacterial infection/potential encephalopathy
would you recommend that consumption of muscle meat is ok or no way?
What’s wrong with this squirrel?
What causes hair loss in deer?
Field Kits for Wildlife Disease Investigation
Training workshops in wildlife health
and disease
Lectures:
• “Intro to the NWDC”
• “How to Conduct a Field
Investigation”
• “How to do a Field Necropsy”
• “Diseases of Northeast Wildlife”
• “What is wrong with our (deer,
squirrels, etc)?”
Delaware: May 13
Connecticut: May 28
New Hampshire: June 12
Maine: June 18
Shared Database for Diagnostic Results
CCWHC Wildlife Disease Database:
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Custom-made solely for wildlife disease data
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Data can be queried; exports in Excel
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Read-only access across NWDC laboratories and members
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Modules can be created for specific research projects
Webinars: Emerging Wildlife Diseases
27 attendees from Northeast and Midwest
Support for research projects
• Provide support with health assessments/diagnostics/testing
• Facilitating regional & trans-regional projects
• Alcid die-off
• Turkey LPDV
• Avian Bornavirus
• Moose mortality
Upcoming Services
• Disease Fact Sheets including:
Cause, Significance, Species affected
Geographic distr., Transmission,
Clinical signs, Diagnosis, Treatment,
Management/Prevention
Suggested Reading
• Wildlife Disease
Investigation Mobile App
Parasitic bronchitis in moose 2014
Upcoming Services
Quarterly Newsletter
“NWDC Notes”
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Program updates
Diagnostic case summaries by state
“From the Field” – observations by member agencies and labs
“Ask NWDC”
Announcements of educational opportunities
Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative
University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University, Animal Health Diagnostic Center
University of Connecticut, Connecticut Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
University of Maine, Animal Health Lab
Expertise: Fresh and saltwater fishes
Lobsters/crustaceans
Marine/terrestrial mammals
Birds of all types
Amphibians and reptiles
Small carnivores
Cervids
Bivalves, cephalopods
Acknowledgements, information and
pictures
• USFWS funding (start up)
• National Wildife Health Center: Jonathan Sleeman, Anne Ballman, Carol
Meteyer, V. Shearn-Bochsler, Field manual of wildlife diseases
• Viruses. 2011, Miller D et al
• OIE.int
• UGA Pathology Noah’s Arkive
• CDC.org
• Michigan Environmental Resources
• Fairthbrother, Locke & Hoff, Noninfectious diseases of wildlife, 2nd ed
• Samuel, Pybus & Kocan, Parasitic diseases of wild mammals 2nd ed
• Williams & Barker, Infectious diseases of wild mammals
• Zachary & Mc Gavin, Pathologic Basis of Veterinary Diseases, 5th ed
• Fish & Wildlife Service: Christina J. Kocer
• CL Davis foundation: Eric Lombardini
• Joint Pathology Center