Programmatic UpdatesMEMBERSHIPWe are thrilled to announce that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife is the newest member of the NWDC. We look forward to working with this group! NWDC members now include ME, NH, CT, NY, NJ, and DE.

WILDLIFE DISEASE FACT SHEETSDuring the 2014 workshops, we discussed NWDC activities and services planned for the future. Among them was the development of wildlife disease accounts for use by member states. The accounts were promised by the end of the summer and we are on schedule. They will be available in your agency's NWDC Dropbox folder on October 23; let us know if you have any trouble accessing them.

Marissa Jenko, a Masters in Conservation Medicine candidate at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

at Tufts, worked with Dr. Walter Cottrell (NWDC Field Veterinarian) to complete the accounts. They started with similar fact sheets published by the PA Game Commission, and revised them to include a literature review and new information

relevant to the entire region. In total, there are 52 disease accounts including four on newly emerging diseases. Written and organized for the public, they avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But, they also represent a good internal resource for reference and training. For each disease, readers will �nd discussions of the cause, signi�cance, species a�ected, means of transmission, clinical signs, diagnostic techniques, treatment, management and prevention, and for those who want to learn more, a list of suggested reading. The accounts are living documents and will be updated as new information becomes available. New accounts will be added as new diseases emerge. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

ONLINE SPECIMEN SUBMISSION FORM

Diagnostic results from NWDC cases are entered in a central database that was created and is maintained by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC). Thanks to the hard work of the CWHC Information Services Group, we now have an online specimen submission form that is available for use by NWDC members. We hope the online format will streamline the submission process and facilitate entry of data pertaining to diagnostic cases. Please refer to the NWDC Member Guide for the URL and additional instructions.

The Northeast Wildlife Disease CooperativeProviding wildlife health and disease services in the Northeast U.S.

Phone: 508-887-4933Email: nwdc@tufts.edu

http://sites.tufts.edu/nwdc

NWDC NOTESQUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM THE NORTHEAST WILDLIFE DISEASE COOPERATIVE

Volume 1, Number 4, October 2014

MORE HELP WITH HERPSDr. Rob Ossibo� has taken a post-doc position with the New York State Wildlife Health Program at Cornell’s

Animal Health Diagnostic Center. Dr. Ossibo� is a veterinary pathologist who completed his PhD (Comparative Biomedical Science, Concentration - Infectious disease; 2008), DVM (2010) and �rst two years of an anatomic pathology residency at Cornell. He then moved on to the Wildlife Conservation

Society in the Bronx, NY to complete the third year of his residency as well as a one year Molecular Pathology fellowship. He has a strong interest in infectious diseases, particularly of reptiles and amphibians, and molecular diagnostics. Dr. Ossibo� will be setting up a PCR lab in the Wildlife Health space at the AHDC to work on infectious disease test development and reptile and amphibian research. He will also be providing diagnostic support for the pathology service at AHDC. We are very pleased to add Dr. Ossibo�’s expertise to NWDC’s already expansive skill set.

Current Disease IssuesThe New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has con�rmed that state’s �rst cases of Hemorrhagic Disease (HD) caused by Bluetongue Virus (BT) in two deer. The clinical signs of BT are identical to those caused by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (EHD), which was �rst isolated in 1955 during an outbreak in white-tailed deer in New Jersey. There have been three HD epizootics involving EHDV-1 (1955, 1975, 1999) and four involving EHDV-2 (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) in New Jersey; this is the �rst epizootic involving BTV. The

serotype, BTV-17, was isolated from the tissues of the two deer tested to date; tissues from a third deer were submitted to NVSL and results are pending.

In the United States, HD has been con�rmed in many eastern states (with the exception of New England) as well as several states in the Midwest, the plains states, and northwest.

There is currently no treatment for HD in wildlife populations. HD can cause very high mortality rates and is considered the most important viral disease of white-tailed deer in the United States. Both free-ranging and captive deer and elk are at risk of contracting HD, and transporting infected animals to areas where HD is not yet present has spread the disease. The impact of this disease on local deer populations is not thought to be long lasting, but it is important to test suspect cases in order to identify outbreaks of HD.

For more details regarding HD, you can refer to the NWDC fact sheet on the topic; available in your agency’s Dropbox folder October 23.

For more details regarding the epizootic in New Jersey, please see the following press release:http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2014/14_0112.htm

Diagnostic Cases TRICHOMONIASIS IN 2 FLEDGLING AMERICAN KESTRELSDr. Maureen Murray (Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University)

Two �edgling female American kestrels (AMKE) were brought to the Wildlife Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, MA, for evaluation of large swellings in

their oral cavities and involving their beaks (Fig 1).

Both AMKEs were emaciated, weighing 78 and 75 grams, and both had extensive oral caseous (having a cheese-like appearance) masses. A diagnosis of trichomoniasis was con�rmed by microscopic examination of swabs obtained from the lesions and visualization of trichomonad organisms.

One bird died overnight; however, the second bird fully recovered through a combination of medical and surgical therapy (Fig. 2). The bird was soon able to tear meat on its own, exhibited strong �ight in an aviary, and was able to catch live crickets. Four weeks after admission, the AMKE was banded and released into ideal habitat on the Cummings School campus at a healthy weight of 126 g.

Trichomoniasis in birds of prey is caused by a protozoal organism, Trichomonas gallinae, which has been documented in many species, including falcons, hawks, owls, and eagles. T. gallinae is spread through consumption of infected prey, most commonly pigeons and mourning doves, but songbirds may also be a source of infection. Reports of trichomoniasis in AMKEs

are rare, however. These AMKEs were from a nest in an urban area, which has been shown to be a risk factor for trichomoniasis in other raptor species. As AMKEs appear to be adapting to urban habitats, trichomoniasis is a disease to watch for in this species.

FATAL RESPIRATORY CYATHOSTOMIASIS IN TWO SNOWY OWLS (BUBO SCANDIACUS) IN RHODE ISLANDDrs. Rachel Burns, Ana Blanco and Matt Kuhar (Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, University of Connecticut)

During the spring of 2014, the CVMDL received two subadult snowy owls, Bubo scandiacus, which were found dead in Rhode Island. These two owls were part of the large irruption of snowy owls into the Eastern United States in the winter of 2013-2014 during which members of this usually arctic species were found as far south as Florida and Arkansas. Both owls were in suboptimal body condition with marked atrophy of their pectoral muscles and decreased internal fat stores.

They were also in relatively poor postmortem condition, as the carcasses had been frozen for shipping and one had signi�cant autolysis. The major �nding in both birds was severe thickening of the air sacs due to accumulation of gray to brown, plaque-like material. In the �rst owl, these plaques were often slightly fuzzy indicating the presence of fungus (aspergillosis) (Fig. 3).

Also in the air sacs of this owl were numerous 2.5-3.5 cm long, dark red, round worms. The second owl had a few smaller, but similar worms on the surface of the lung.

Histologic examination of lungs and air sacs in both owls showed that, in addition to fungal (�rst owl) and bacterial (second owl) infections, there were very large numbers of nematode eggs and associated in�ammation contributing to thickening of the air sacs (Fig 4). The characteristics of the eggs and nematodes were consistent with syngamid-type nematodes of the genus Cyathostoma.

Though infection with these respiratory tract nematodes has previously been reported in owls, the infection is still considered somewhat unusual due to the life cycle of the parasite. Cyathostoma spp. use invertebrates, typically earthworms, as an intermediate host. As invertebrates are not typical prey items of owls, it is thought that they might acquire the infection after eating rodents or birds that contain the infected intermediate hosts in their digestive tracts.

In both owls, the heavy burden of nematodes and especially their eggs in the respiratory tract was considered to be the underlying cause of the secondary fungal and bacterial infections, which could have ultimately led to the deaths of these owls. Tracking more owl cases through the NWDC database will hopefully help determine if snowy owls were at increased risk of this infection as a result of their aberrant southern migration.

Upcoming Educational Opportunities Offered

by NWDC

NWDC will host a webinar on reptile and amphibian health during the �rst week of

December. Stay tuned for details.

Please contact nwdc@tufts.edu if you are interested in learning more about this and

other educational opportunities.

THE NOR THEAST WILDLIFE DISEASE COOPER ATIVE

CauseChronic wasting disease is caused by a prion, which is an abnormal protein that behaves like an infectious agent. CWD is a neurological disease of cervids (deer, elk and moose) categorized as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Other known TSE’s include scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. CWD was �rst reported in captive mule deer in 1967 in Colorado, but was not recognized as a TSE until 1978.

SignificanceChronic wasting disease has had a major impact on hunting and cervid farming in a�ected states. Because of a long shedding period and the resilience of the prion responsible for CWD, it is very di�cult to control and eradicate the disease.

Species AffectedCWD is known to a�ect free-ranging and captive white-tailed deer, mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, moose, and red deer, though it is likely that other species of cervid are also susceptible. This disease is not known to infect humans or domestic animals.

DistributionChronic wasting disease was originally found in a captive mule deer herd in Colorado and was reported in Wyoming soon after. The disease has since become established in free-ranging deer and elk in these states and has spread to several other states and 2 Canadian provinces (see map on the following page for the 2013 distribution of the disease in the United States). CWD has also been reported in South Korea following importation from Canada.

TransmissionCWD is transmitted both directly via contact with infected animals and indirectly through contaminated feces, urine, saliva, and infected carcasses or environments. Though it is still uncertain, current research suggests that the minimum incubation period from time of infection to the presentation of clinical signs is around 16 months. Animals can directly transmit the disease to other animals during this time. Infected animals can also begin shedding prions as early as 11 months prior to showing any symptoms of the disease. The prions that cause CWD are very di�cult to kill and can remain infective in soil for many years.

Clinical SignsClinical signs usually appear 24 to 48 months following exposure to prions, though signs may also appear much later after infection. Clinical signs include weight loss, loss of body condition, depression, and excessive salivation, drinking, and urination. Neurological signs of CWD include stumbling, trembling, and lack of fear of humans and predators. Most animals will die within several months following the onset of clinical signs.

DiagnosisSpecial laboratory techniques are used to diagnose CWD from postmortem samples of brain, lymph node, or tonsil tissue. Because an animal can be simultaneously infected with several diseases, it is important to distinguish CWD from the many other diseases that have similar clinical signs.

TreatmentThere is currently no treatment or vaccine for CWD.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

http://s i tes. tuf ts .edu/nwdc

Programmatic UpdatesMEMBERSHIPWe are thrilled to announce that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife is the newest member of the NWDC. We look forward to working with this group! NWDC members now include ME, NH, CT, NY, NJ, and DE.

WILDLIFE DISEASE FACT SHEETSDuring the 2014 workshops, we discussed NWDC activities and services planned for the future. Among them was the development of wildlife disease accounts for use by member states. The accounts were promised by the end of the summer and we are on schedule. They will be available in your agency's NWDC Dropbox folder on October 23; let us know if you have any trouble accessing them.

Marissa Jenko, a Masters in Conservation Medicine candidate at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

at Tufts, worked with Dr. Walter Cottrell (NWDC Field Veterinarian) to complete the accounts. They started with similar fact sheets published by the PA Game Commission, and revised them to include a literature review and new information

relevant to the entire region. In total, there are 52 disease accounts including four on newly emerging diseases. Written and organized for the public, they avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But, they also represent a good internal resource for reference and training. For each disease, readers will �nd discussions of the cause, signi�cance, species a�ected, means of transmission, clinical signs, diagnostic techniques, treatment, management and prevention, and for those who want to learn more, a list of suggested reading. The accounts are living documents and will be updated as new information becomes available. New accounts will be added as new diseases emerge. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

ONLINE SPECIMEN SUBMISSION FORM

Diagnostic results from NWDC cases are entered in a central database that was created and is maintained by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC). Thanks to the hard work of the CWHC Information Services Group, we now have an online specimen submission form that is available for use by NWDC members. We hope the online format will streamline the submission process and facilitate entry of data pertaining to diagnostic cases. Please refer to the NWDC Member Guide for the URL and additional instructions.

NWDC NOTES – Quarterly Newsletter From The Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative

2Volume 1, Number 4. October 2014

MORE HELP WITH HERPSDr. Rob Ossibo� has taken a post-doc position with the New York State Wildlife Health Program at Cornell’s

Animal Health Diagnostic Center. Dr. Ossibo� is a veterinary pathologist who completed his PhD (Comparative Biomedical Science, Concentration - Infectious disease; 2008), DVM (2010) and �rst two years of an anatomic pathology residency at Cornell. He then moved on to the Wildlife Conservation

Society in the Bronx, NY to complete the third year of his residency as well as a one year Molecular Pathology fellowship. He has a strong interest in infectious diseases, particularly of reptiles and amphibians, and molecular diagnostics. Dr. Ossibo� will be setting up a PCR lab in the Wildlife Health space at the AHDC to work on infectious disease test development and reptile and amphibian research. He will also be providing diagnostic support for the pathology service at AHDC. We are very pleased to add Dr. Ossibo�’s expertise to NWDC’s already expansive skill set.

Current Disease IssuesThe New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has con�rmed that state’s �rst cases of Hemorrhagic Disease (HD) caused by Bluetongue Virus (BT) in two deer. The clinical signs of BT are identical to those caused by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (EHD), which was �rst isolated in 1955 during an outbreak in white-tailed deer in New Jersey. There have been three HD epizootics involving EHDV-1 (1955, 1975, 1999) and four involving EHDV-2 (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) in New Jersey; this is the �rst epizootic involving BTV. The

serotype, BTV-17, was isolated from the tissues of the two deer tested to date; tissues from a third deer were submitted to NVSL and results are pending.

In the United States, HD has been con�rmed in many eastern states (with the exception of New England) as well as several states in the Midwest, the plains states, and northwest.

There is currently no treatment for HD in wildlife populations. HD can cause very high mortality rates and is considered the most important viral disease of white-tailed deer in the United States. Both free-ranging and captive deer and elk are at risk of contracting HD, and transporting infected animals to areas where HD is not yet present has spread the disease. The impact of this disease on local deer populations is not thought to be long lasting, but it is important to test suspect cases in order to identify outbreaks of HD.

For more details regarding HD, you can refer to the NWDC fact sheet on the topic; available in your agency’s Dropbox folder October 23.

For more details regarding the epizootic in New Jersey, please see the following press release:http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2014/14_0112.htm

Diagnostic Cases TRICHOMONIASIS IN 2 FLEDGLING AMERICAN KESTRELSDr. Maureen Murray (Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University)

Two �edgling female American kestrels (AMKE) were brought to the Wildlife Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, MA, for evaluation of large swellings in

their oral cavities and involving their beaks (Fig 1).

Both AMKEs were emaciated, weighing 78 and 75 grams, and both had extensive oral caseous (having a cheese-like appearance) masses. A diagnosis of trichomoniasis was con�rmed by microscopic examination of swabs obtained from the lesions and visualization of trichomonad organisms.

One bird died overnight; however, the second bird fully recovered through a combination of medical and surgical therapy (Fig. 2). The bird was soon able to tear meat on its own, exhibited strong �ight in an aviary, and was able to catch live crickets. Four weeks after admission, the AMKE was banded and released into ideal habitat on the Cummings School campus at a healthy weight of 126 g.

Trichomoniasis in birds of prey is caused by a protozoal organism, Trichomonas gallinae, which has been documented in many species, including falcons, hawks, owls, and eagles. T. gallinae is spread through consumption of infected prey, most commonly pigeons and mourning doves, but songbirds may also be a source of infection. Reports of trichomoniasis in AMKEs

are rare, however. These AMKEs were from a nest in an urban area, which has been shown to be a risk factor for trichomoniasis in other raptor species. As AMKEs appear to be adapting to urban habitats, trichomoniasis is a disease to watch for in this species.

FATAL RESPIRATORY CYATHOSTOMIASIS IN TWO SNOWY OWLS (BUBO SCANDIACUS) IN RHODE ISLANDDrs. Rachel Burns, Ana Blanco and Matt Kuhar (Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, University of Connecticut)

During the spring of 2014, the CVMDL received two subadult snowy owls, Bubo scandiacus, which were found dead in Rhode Island. These two owls were part of the large irruption of snowy owls into the Eastern United States in the winter of 2013-2014 during which members of this usually arctic species were found as far south as Florida and Arkansas. Both owls were in suboptimal body condition with marked atrophy of their pectoral muscles and decreased internal fat stores.

They were also in relatively poor postmortem condition, as the carcasses had been frozen for shipping and one had signi�cant autolysis. The major �nding in both birds was severe thickening of the air sacs due to accumulation of gray to brown, plaque-like material. In the �rst owl, these plaques were often slightly fuzzy indicating the presence of fungus (aspergillosis) (Fig. 3).

Also in the air sacs of this owl were numerous 2.5-3.5 cm long, dark red, round worms. The second owl had a few smaller, but similar worms on the surface of the lung.

Histologic examination of lungs and air sacs in both owls showed that, in addition to fungal (�rst owl) and bacterial (second owl) infections, there were very large numbers of nematode eggs and associated in�ammation contributing to thickening of the air sacs (Fig 4). The characteristics of the eggs and nematodes were consistent with syngamid-type nematodes of the genus Cyathostoma.

Though infection with these respiratory tract nematodes has previously been reported in owls, the infection is still considered somewhat unusual due to the life cycle of the parasite. Cyathostoma spp. use invertebrates, typically earthworms, as an intermediate host. As invertebrates are not typical prey items of owls, it is thought that they might acquire the infection after eating rodents or birds that contain the infected intermediate hosts in their digestive tracts.

In both owls, the heavy burden of nematodes and especially their eggs in the respiratory tract was considered to be the underlying cause of the secondary fungal and bacterial infections, which could have ultimately led to the deaths of these owls. Tracking more owl cases through the NWDC database will hopefully help determine if snowy owls were at increased risk of this infection as a result of their aberrant southern migration.

Upcoming Educational Opportunities Offered

by NWDC

NWDC will host a webinar on reptile and amphibian health during the �rst week of

December. Stay tuned for details.

Please contact nwdc@tufts.edu if you are interested in learning more about this and

other educational opportunities.

Dr. Ossibo� necropsying a hellbender as part of a collaborative project with NYSDEC, Cornell, and the Bu�alo Zoo.

Known distribution of EHD and BT in the United States, 2014. Data for this map was compiled from virus isolation results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

EHDV onlyEHDV and BTVBTV only

Programmatic UpdatesMEMBERSHIPWe are thrilled to announce that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife is the newest member of the NWDC. We look forward to working with this group! NWDC members now include ME, NH, CT, NY, NJ, and DE.

WILDLIFE DISEASE FACT SHEETSDuring the 2014 workshops, we discussed NWDC activities and services planned for the future. Among them was the development of wildlife disease accounts for use by member states. The accounts were promised by the end of the summer and we are on schedule. They will be available in your agency's NWDC Dropbox folder on October 23; let us know if you have any trouble accessing them.

Marissa Jenko, a Masters in Conservation Medicine candidate at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

at Tufts, worked with Dr. Walter Cottrell (NWDC Field Veterinarian) to complete the accounts. They started with similar fact sheets published by the PA Game Commission, and revised them to include a literature review and new information

relevant to the entire region. In total, there are 52 disease accounts including four on newly emerging diseases. Written and organized for the public, they avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But, they also represent a good internal resource for reference and training. For each disease, readers will �nd discussions of the cause, signi�cance, species a�ected, means of transmission, clinical signs, diagnostic techniques, treatment, management and prevention, and for those who want to learn more, a list of suggested reading. The accounts are living documents and will be updated as new information becomes available. New accounts will be added as new diseases emerge. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

ONLINE SPECIMEN SUBMISSION FORM

Diagnostic results from NWDC cases are entered in a central database that was created and is maintained by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC). Thanks to the hard work of the CWHC Information Services Group, we now have an online specimen submission form that is available for use by NWDC members. We hope the online format will streamline the submission process and facilitate entry of data pertaining to diagnostic cases. Please refer to the NWDC Member Guide for the URL and additional instructions.

3Volume 1, Number 4. October 2014

NWDC NOTES – Quarterly Newsletter From The Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative

MORE HELP WITH HERPSDr. Rob Ossibo� has taken a post-doc position with the New York State Wildlife Health Program at Cornell’s

Animal Health Diagnostic Center. Dr. Ossibo� is a veterinary pathologist who completed his PhD (Comparative Biomedical Science, Concentration - Infectious disease; 2008), DVM (2010) and �rst two years of an anatomic pathology residency at Cornell. He then moved on to the Wildlife Conservation

Society in the Bronx, NY to complete the third year of his residency as well as a one year Molecular Pathology fellowship. He has a strong interest in infectious diseases, particularly of reptiles and amphibians, and molecular diagnostics. Dr. Ossibo� will be setting up a PCR lab in the Wildlife Health space at the AHDC to work on infectious disease test development and reptile and amphibian research. He will also be providing diagnostic support for the pathology service at AHDC. We are very pleased to add Dr. Ossibo�’s expertise to NWDC’s already expansive skill set.

Current Disease IssuesThe New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has con�rmed that state’s �rst cases of Hemorrhagic Disease (HD) caused by Bluetongue Virus (BT) in two deer. The clinical signs of BT are identical to those caused by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (EHD), which was �rst isolated in 1955 during an outbreak in white-tailed deer in New Jersey. There have been three HD epizootics involving EHDV-1 (1955, 1975, 1999) and four involving EHDV-2 (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) in New Jersey; this is the �rst epizootic involving BTV. The

serotype, BTV-17, was isolated from the tissues of the two deer tested to date; tissues from a third deer were submitted to NVSL and results are pending.

In the United States, HD has been con�rmed in many eastern states (with the exception of New England) as well as several states in the Midwest, the plains states, and northwest.

There is currently no treatment for HD in wildlife populations. HD can cause very high mortality rates and is considered the most important viral disease of white-tailed deer in the United States. Both free-ranging and captive deer and elk are at risk of contracting HD, and transporting infected animals to areas where HD is not yet present has spread the disease. The impact of this disease on local deer populations is not thought to be long lasting, but it is important to test suspect cases in order to identify outbreaks of HD.

For more details regarding HD, you can refer to the NWDC fact sheet on the topic; available in your agency’s Dropbox folder October 23.

For more details regarding the epizootic in New Jersey, please see the following press release:http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2014/14_0112.htm

Diagnostic Cases TRICHOMONIASIS IN 2 FLEDGLING AMERICAN KESTRELSDr. Maureen Murray (Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University)

Two �edgling female American kestrels (AMKE) were brought to the Wildlife Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, MA, for evaluation of large swellings in

their oral cavities and involving their beaks (Fig 1).

Both AMKEs were emaciated, weighing 78 and 75 grams, and both had extensive oral caseous (having a cheese-like appearance) masses. A diagnosis of trichomoniasis was con�rmed by microscopic examination of swabs obtained from the lesions and visualization of trichomonad organisms.

One bird died overnight; however, the second bird fully recovered through a combination of medical and surgical therapy (Fig. 2). The bird was soon able to tear meat on its own, exhibited strong �ight in an aviary, and was able to catch live crickets. Four weeks after admission, the AMKE was banded and released into ideal habitat on the Cummings School campus at a healthy weight of 126 g.

Trichomoniasis in birds of prey is caused by a protozoal organism, Trichomonas gallinae, which has been documented in many species, including falcons, hawks, owls, and eagles. T. gallinae is spread through consumption of infected prey, most commonly pigeons and mourning doves, but songbirds may also be a source of infection. Reports of trichomoniasis in AMKEs

are rare, however. These AMKEs were from a nest in an urban area, which has been shown to be a risk factor for trichomoniasis in other raptor species. As AMKEs appear to be adapting to urban habitats, trichomoniasis is a disease to watch for in this species.

FATAL RESPIRATORY CYATHOSTOMIASIS IN TWO SNOWY OWLS (BUBO SCANDIACUS) IN RHODE ISLANDDrs. Rachel Burns, Ana Blanco and Matt Kuhar (Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, University of Connecticut)

During the spring of 2014, the CVMDL received two subadult snowy owls, Bubo scandiacus, which were found dead in Rhode Island. These two owls were part of the large irruption of snowy owls into the Eastern United States in the winter of 2013-2014 during which members of this usually arctic species were found as far south as Florida and Arkansas. Both owls were in suboptimal body condition with marked atrophy of their pectoral muscles and decreased internal fat stores.

They were also in relatively poor postmortem condition, as the carcasses had been frozen for shipping and one had signi�cant autolysis. The major �nding in both birds was severe thickening of the air sacs due to accumulation of gray to brown, plaque-like material. In the �rst owl, these plaques were often slightly fuzzy indicating the presence of fungus (aspergillosis) (Fig. 3).

Also in the air sacs of this owl were numerous 2.5-3.5 cm long, dark red, round worms. The second owl had a few smaller, but similar worms on the surface of the lung.

Histologic examination of lungs and air sacs in both owls showed that, in addition to fungal (�rst owl) and bacterial (second owl) infections, there were very large numbers of nematode eggs and associated in�ammation contributing to thickening of the air sacs (Fig 4). The characteristics of the eggs and nematodes were consistent with syngamid-type nematodes of the genus Cyathostoma.

Though infection with these respiratory tract nematodes has previously been reported in owls, the infection is still considered somewhat unusual due to the life cycle of the parasite. Cyathostoma spp. use invertebrates, typically earthworms, as an intermediate host. As invertebrates are not typical prey items of owls, it is thought that they might acquire the infection after eating rodents or birds that contain the infected intermediate hosts in their digestive tracts.

In both owls, the heavy burden of nematodes and especially their eggs in the respiratory tract was considered to be the underlying cause of the secondary fungal and bacterial infections, which could have ultimately led to the deaths of these owls. Tracking more owl cases through the NWDC database will hopefully help determine if snowy owls were at increased risk of this infection as a result of their aberrant southern migration.

Upcoming Educational Opportunities Offered

by NWDC

NWDC will host a webinar on reptile and amphibian health during the �rst week of

December. Stay tuned for details.

Please contact nwdc@tufts.edu if you are interested in learning more about this and

other educational opportunities.

Fig. 1 Fledgling female American kestrel (AMKE) with large swelling in the oral cavity caused by trichomonad organisms. Image courtesy of Dr. Maureen Murray.

Fig 2 AMKE recovered from Thichomoniasis infection after medical and surgical therapy. Image courtesy of Andrew Cunningham.

Programmatic UpdatesMEMBERSHIPWe are thrilled to announce that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife is the newest member of the NWDC. We look forward to working with this group! NWDC members now include ME, NH, CT, NY, NJ, and DE.

WILDLIFE DISEASE FACT SHEETSDuring the 2014 workshops, we discussed NWDC activities and services planned for the future. Among them was the development of wildlife disease accounts for use by member states. The accounts were promised by the end of the summer and we are on schedule. They will be available in your agency's NWDC Dropbox folder on October 23; let us know if you have any trouble accessing them.

Marissa Jenko, a Masters in Conservation Medicine candidate at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

at Tufts, worked with Dr. Walter Cottrell (NWDC Field Veterinarian) to complete the accounts. They started with similar fact sheets published by the PA Game Commission, and revised them to include a literature review and new information

relevant to the entire region. In total, there are 52 disease accounts including four on newly emerging diseases. Written and organized for the public, they avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But, they also represent a good internal resource for reference and training. For each disease, readers will �nd discussions of the cause, signi�cance, species a�ected, means of transmission, clinical signs, diagnostic techniques, treatment, management and prevention, and for those who want to learn more, a list of suggested reading. The accounts are living documents and will be updated as new information becomes available. New accounts will be added as new diseases emerge. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

ONLINE SPECIMEN SUBMISSION FORM

Diagnostic results from NWDC cases are entered in a central database that was created and is maintained by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC). Thanks to the hard work of the CWHC Information Services Group, we now have an online specimen submission form that is available for use by NWDC members. We hope the online format will streamline the submission process and facilitate entry of data pertaining to diagnostic cases. Please refer to the NWDC Member Guide for the URL and additional instructions.

4Volume 1, Number 4. October 2014

NWDC NOTES – Quarterly Newsletter From The Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative

MORE HELP WITH HERPSDr. Rob Ossibo� has taken a post-doc position with the New York State Wildlife Health Program at Cornell’s

Animal Health Diagnostic Center. Dr. Ossibo� is a veterinary pathologist who completed his PhD (Comparative Biomedical Science, Concentration - Infectious disease; 2008), DVM (2010) and �rst two years of an anatomic pathology residency at Cornell. He then moved on to the Wildlife Conservation

Society in the Bronx, NY to complete the third year of his residency as well as a one year Molecular Pathology fellowship. He has a strong interest in infectious diseases, particularly of reptiles and amphibians, and molecular diagnostics. Dr. Ossibo� will be setting up a PCR lab in the Wildlife Health space at the AHDC to work on infectious disease test development and reptile and amphibian research. He will also be providing diagnostic support for the pathology service at AHDC. We are very pleased to add Dr. Ossibo�’s expertise to NWDC’s already expansive skill set.

Current Disease IssuesThe New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has con�rmed that state’s �rst cases of Hemorrhagic Disease (HD) caused by Bluetongue Virus (BT) in two deer. The clinical signs of BT are identical to those caused by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (EHD), which was �rst isolated in 1955 during an outbreak in white-tailed deer in New Jersey. There have been three HD epizootics involving EHDV-1 (1955, 1975, 1999) and four involving EHDV-2 (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) in New Jersey; this is the �rst epizootic involving BTV. The

serotype, BTV-17, was isolated from the tissues of the two deer tested to date; tissues from a third deer were submitted to NVSL and results are pending.

In the United States, HD has been con�rmed in many eastern states (with the exception of New England) as well as several states in the Midwest, the plains states, and northwest.

There is currently no treatment for HD in wildlife populations. HD can cause very high mortality rates and is considered the most important viral disease of white-tailed deer in the United States. Both free-ranging and captive deer and elk are at risk of contracting HD, and transporting infected animals to areas where HD is not yet present has spread the disease. The impact of this disease on local deer populations is not thought to be long lasting, but it is important to test suspect cases in order to identify outbreaks of HD.

For more details regarding HD, you can refer to the NWDC fact sheet on the topic; available in your agency’s Dropbox folder October 23.

For more details regarding the epizootic in New Jersey, please see the following press release:http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2014/14_0112.htm

Diagnostic Cases TRICHOMONIASIS IN 2 FLEDGLING AMERICAN KESTRELSDr. Maureen Murray (Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University)

Two �edgling female American kestrels (AMKE) were brought to the Wildlife Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, MA, for evaluation of large swellings in

their oral cavities and involving their beaks (Fig 1).

Both AMKEs were emaciated, weighing 78 and 75 grams, and both had extensive oral caseous (having a cheese-like appearance) masses. A diagnosis of trichomoniasis was con�rmed by microscopic examination of swabs obtained from the lesions and visualization of trichomonad organisms.

One bird died overnight; however, the second bird fully recovered through a combination of medical and surgical therapy (Fig. 2). The bird was soon able to tear meat on its own, exhibited strong �ight in an aviary, and was able to catch live crickets. Four weeks after admission, the AMKE was banded and released into ideal habitat on the Cummings School campus at a healthy weight of 126 g.

Trichomoniasis in birds of prey is caused by a protozoal organism, Trichomonas gallinae, which has been documented in many species, including falcons, hawks, owls, and eagles. T. gallinae is spread through consumption of infected prey, most commonly pigeons and mourning doves, but songbirds may also be a source of infection. Reports of trichomoniasis in AMKEs

are rare, however. These AMKEs were from a nest in an urban area, which has been shown to be a risk factor for trichomoniasis in other raptor species. As AMKEs appear to be adapting to urban habitats, trichomoniasis is a disease to watch for in this species.

FATAL RESPIRATORY CYATHOSTOMIASIS IN TWO SNOWY OWLS (BUBO SCANDIACUS) IN RHODE ISLANDDrs. Rachel Burns, Ana Blanco and Matt Kuhar (Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, University of Connecticut)

During the spring of 2014, the CVMDL received two subadult snowy owls, Bubo scandiacus, which were found dead in Rhode Island. These two owls were part of the large irruption of snowy owls into the Eastern United States in the winter of 2013-2014 during which members of this usually arctic species were found as far south as Florida and Arkansas. Both owls were in suboptimal body condition with marked atrophy of their pectoral muscles and decreased internal fat stores.

They were also in relatively poor postmortem condition, as the carcasses had been frozen for shipping and one had signi�cant autolysis. The major �nding in both birds was severe thickening of the air sacs due to accumulation of gray to brown, plaque-like material. In the �rst owl, these plaques were often slightly fuzzy indicating the presence of fungus (aspergillosis) (Fig. 3).

Also in the air sacs of this owl were numerous 2.5-3.5 cm long, dark red, round worms. The second owl had a few smaller, but similar worms on the surface of the lung.

Histologic examination of lungs and air sacs in both owls showed that, in addition to fungal (�rst owl) and bacterial (second owl) infections, there were very large numbers of nematode eggs and associated in�ammation contributing to thickening of the air sacs (Fig 4). The characteristics of the eggs and nematodes were consistent with syngamid-type nematodes of the genus Cyathostoma.

Though infection with these respiratory tract nematodes has previously been reported in owls, the infection is still considered somewhat unusual due to the life cycle of the parasite. Cyathostoma spp. use invertebrates, typically earthworms, as an intermediate host. As invertebrates are not typical prey items of owls, it is thought that they might acquire the infection after eating rodents or birds that contain the infected intermediate hosts in their digestive tracts.

In both owls, the heavy burden of nematodes and especially their eggs in the respiratory tract was considered to be the underlying cause of the secondary fungal and bacterial infections, which could have ultimately led to the deaths of these owls. Tracking more owl cases through the NWDC database will hopefully help determine if snowy owls were at increased risk of this infection as a result of their aberrant southern migration.

Upcoming Educational Opportunities Offered

by NWDC

NWDC will host a webinar on reptile and amphibian health during the �rst week of

December. Stay tuned for details.

Please contact nwdc@tufts.edu if you are interested in learning more about this and

other educational opportunities.

Fig. 3 First snowy owl. Air sacs are thickened with brown, plaque-like material and a gray fuzzy layer of fungus. A large red nematode (Cyathostoma sp.) within the air sac is indicated by the arrow. Image courtesy of Dr. Matt Kuhar.

Fig. 4 H&E stained photomicrograph. An air sac is markedly thickened with in�ammatory debris (bright pink layer on top) and massive numbers of syngamid-type eggs (oval structures) in the deeper tissue. Image courtesy of Dr. Ana Blanco.