NR ARCE
AU Nolden,C.A.; Samuel,M.D.; Aiken,J.M.
TI Interspecies Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease: Wisconsin Species Likely to be Exposed
IA http://wildlife.wisc.edu/coop/CWD/interspecies%20transmission.htm
AB
Background
Recent studies indicate that chronic wasting disease (CWD) may be transmitted to deer by direct contact, from fecal or urine contamination, or through environmental contamination associated with carcasses of infected deer. The potential for environmental contamination with CWD provides a potential source for transmission to wildlife that share habitat with white-tailed deer. Carcasses of deer will also be consumed by wildlife, but little is known about the frequency and range of species that eat deer carrion and could be exposed to CWD from an infected carcass. In Wisconsin, the primary carrion consumers will likely include Eastern coyote (Canis latrans), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), common raccoon (Procyon lotor), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) and Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Although these species may consume infected deer tissue, it is unknown whether CWD can successfully cross the species barrier to infect these animals.
Objectives
This research is intended to investigate the decomposition of deer carcasses, determine the types and number of animals that consume deer carcasses, and evaluate the possibility of interspecies transmission of CWD from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) carcasses to carrion consumers.
Methods
We will identify the species that consume deer carrion, as they are the most likely to encounter PrPcWD from a deer that died of the disease, by using remotely triggered cameras on deer carcasses (fawns or adults testing negative by immunohistochemistry [IHC]) throughout the CWD-affected region of Wisconsin.
We are collecting up to 100 of each primary carrion consumer species annually from the CWD-affected region of southern Wisconsin, with the assistance of the Wisconsin Trappers Association. Collected animals will be necropsied to collect brain, lymph node, spleen and feces, which will be tested for the resistant form of the prion protein which causes CWD.
The native species that we are collecting from the CWD-affected region of southern Wisconsin provide a valuable collection of animals that will also be used to survey for a range of other wildlife and zoonotic diseases. Testing for occurrence of these wildlife and zoonotic diseases will be conducted by research collaborators listed below.
Dorothy Ginnett at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is evaluating heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in the canids.
Shelly Michalski at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is evaluating tissues and serum for Neospora caninum.
Doug Docherty at the National Wildlife Health Center is evaluating samples for WNV antibody.
Jennifer Meece and Kurt Reed at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation are doing the majority of the diagnostic testing:
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE),
LaCrosse encephalitis virus (LAC),
Western equine encephalitis virus (WEE),
West Nile Virus (WNV),
St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE),
Hantavirus,
Rabies virus,
Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi),
Ehrlichia species,
Bartonella species,
Leptospira interrogans,
Mycobacterium bovis and M. avium paratuberculosis,
Blastomyces dermatitidis,
Baylisascaris procyonis,
Echinococcus multilocularis and E. granulosus
Preliminary Results
Species Observed Near or Consuming Deer Carcasses:
Mammals
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)
Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris)
Domestic Cat (Felis sylvestris catus)
Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans)
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Birds
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
AD
Michael D. Samuel und Cherrie A. Nolden (Graduate Research Assistant, January 2001-October 2002 at USGS Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Wildlife Ecology, College of Agricultural, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, PH: (608) 263-7595, Email: canolden@students.wisc.edu
Judd M. Aiken und Cherrie A. Nolden since January 2003 at Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1656 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, PH: (608) 262-0427, FAX: (608) 262-7420