U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Health through ScienceHealth through Science

Jonathan SleemanJonathan Sleeman

USGS National Wildlife Health CenterUSGS National Wildlife Health Center

Emerging Infectious DiseasesEmerging Infectious Diseases

Unprecedented number of emerging infectious diseases

Human-induced environmental changes favor disease emergence

Many disease threats to human, animal and ecosystem health are of wildlife origin

Consequences of Emerging DiseasesConsequences of Emerging Diseases

Impacts on human health, wildlife health & the global economies and societies

35 million people living with HIV globally

300 million poultry culled since 2003 as a result of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian flu

Chytrid fungus has reduced global diversity of amphibians

Ecological impacts of white-nose syndrome in bats

Invasive Species and Transboundary DiseasesInvasive Species and Transboundary Diseases

Global movement and trade of wildlife opens new pathways for pathogens to jump to new continents and new species Introduction of monkeypox to the United States from the trade

in Gambian pouched rats Avian botulism in Great Lakes outbreaks linked to invasive

gobies and dreissenid mussels Waterfowl die-offs in Midwestern states from exotic trematode

infection carried by European faucet snails

Lead PoisoningLead PoisoningAvian CholeraAvian Cholera

Newcastle Newcastle DiseaseDisease

Sea Otter Sea Otter MortalityMortality

Avian Avian BotulismBotulism

West Nile West Nile VirusVirus

MonkeypoxMonkeypox Chronic Chronic Wasting Wasting DiseaseDisease

1970s1970s

2009+2009+

White-White-Nose Nose

SyndromeSyndrome

Avian Avian InfluenzaInfluenza

Hawaiian Hawaiian Forest Bird Forest Bird DiseasesDiseases

Amphibian Amphibian MalformationsMalformations

Coral reef Coral reef healthhealth

Emerging Diseases Investigated by USGSEmerging Diseases Investigated by USGS(red indicates transboundary diseases)(red indicates transboundary diseases)

1990s1990s

Inclusion Inclusion Body DiseaseBody Disease

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center mission is to provide national leadership to safeguard wildlife and ecosystem health through dynamic partnerships and exceptional science

Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Health

National Wildlife Health CenterNational Wildlife Health Center

Uniquely designed biocontainment (BSL-3) diagnostic and research facility for wildlife located in Madison, Wisconsin

Field station in Hawaii

““CDC for Wildlife”CDC for Wildlife”

Disease investigations Surveillance and monitoring Emergency response Applied research Education, training and outreach

What We Do What We Do

Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Health

Early Detection of Transboundary DiseasesEarly Detection of Transboundary Diseases

Investigating wildlife mortality events nationwide is critical to early detection of introduced diseases

Generates information vital to determine cause of death, assess the threat, and support management and law enforcement agencies

“Afflockalypse” blackbird deaths in Arkansas, 2011

White Nose Syndrome: An Example of a White Nose Syndrome: An Example of a Transboundary DiseaseTransboundary Disease In 2007, we discovered and described Geomyces

destructans, the likely infectious cause of white-nose syndrome in bats

Appears to be an introduced pathogen from Europe Causing unprecedented mortality of bats Bats are primary predators of insects and bat

population declines will negatively impact forest health, agriculture, and human health

One HealthOne Health Human-Agriculture-Wildlife-Ecosystem Health Human-Agriculture-Wildlife-Ecosystem Health

… in a Connected World… in a Connected World

DISEASE

Integrated Partner-Driven ScienceIntegrated Partner-Driven Science

Avian botulism in the distressed Great Lakes National Park Service

Wildlife trade and global disease emergence EcoHealth Alliance

For more information about the NWHC please visit:

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/

Contact Information:

Jonathan Sleeman, MA, VetMB, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ECZM, MRCVSCenter DirectorUSGS, National Wildlife Health Center6006 Schroeder RoadMadison, WI 53711

Tel: (608) 270 2401Fax: (608) 270 2415Email: jsleeman@usgs.gov