| DISEASE SURVEILLANCE
- avian influenza
- plague & tularemia
- feral swine diseases
- chronic wasting disease
- E. coli
- rabies
SPECIAL INTEREST
Escherichia coli, O157
The contamination of fresh spinach with the bacteria E. coli O157:H7
during the fall of 2006 led to one of the largest and deadliest outbreaks
of food borne illness in recent years. A cooperative project with USDA
ARS, UC Davis, Wildlife Services and the Western Institute for Food
Safety and Security investigates the movement of E. coli O157:H7 through
the environment and seeks to define the relationships between wild animals,
livestock, and crops. The primary study area of the project is located
in Monterey, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo Counties. Samples of produce,
water, soil, cattle, and 25 species of wildlife are being collected.
Avian Influenza
Wildlife Services works closely with the California Department of Fish
and Game and California Waterfowl Association to complete surveillance
sampling for highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1. As part of the
surveillance plan for a Level 1 state, Wildlife Services collects live
and hunter-harvested bird samples, responds to mortality events, and
samples water and fecal material from the environment.
Feral Swine Diseases
In California, feral swine have been regulated as a big game mammal
since 1957. Feral Swine have been documented in 56 of the state’s
58 counties and they rival deer for status as California’s top
game animal. Economic gains and losses due to hunting revenues, disease
impacts, and property damage are difficult to quantify for such a large
area. Wildlife Services collects samples as part of the National Comprehensive
Feral Swine Disease Program. Swine captured are tested for Classical
Swine Fever, Swine Brucellosis, Psuedorabies, Plague, Tularemia, and
Escherichia coli. Samples are also archived for further disease research.
Plague and Tularemia
Wildlife Services and California Department of Public Heath’s
Vector-borne Disease Section cooperate to conduct surveillance for plague
and tularemia throughout the state. Wildlife Services collects samples
from carnivores and feral swine that may act as sentinels for plague.
Animals collected in riparian areas are sampled for tularemia.
Rabies
Wildlife Services assists the California Department of Public Health’s
Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory with a statewide rabies surveillance
effort by submitting samples from unusually behaving animals encountered
during our normal work activities. In addition, WS actively collects
samples from areas where increased rabies activity is suspected. WS
is currently working in Humboldt county in response to an increase in
aggressive behavior and rabies positive samples in Gray Fox.
Contact:
Wildlife Disease Biologist Shannon Chandler (CA)
(916)979-2675
Shannon.C.Chandler@aphis.usda.gov
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