UC-DAVIS scientists find H1N1 INFLUENZA VIRUS in ELEPHANT SEALS ~ WHO warns world not prepared for massive INFLUENZA outbreak ~ WHO says single YELLOW FEVER shot is enough ~ RABIES reports from MO, NH, & VA.

Northern Elephant Seals. Photo by Mike Baird. Wikimedia Commons.

California 05/15/13 ucdavis.edu: News Release – Scientists at the University of California, Davis, detected the H1N1 (2009) virus in free-ranging northern elephant seals off the central California coast a year after the human pandemic began, according to a study published today, May 15, in the journal PLOS ONE. It is the first report of that flu strain in any marine mammal. “We thought we might find influenza viruses, which have been found before in marine mammals, but we did not expect to find pandemic H1N1,” said lead author Tracey Goldstein, an associate professor with the UC Davis One Health Institute and Wildlife Health Center. “This shows influenza viruses can move among species.” UC Davis researchers have been studying flu viruses in wild birds and mammals since 2007 as part of the Centers of Excellence in Influenza Research and Surveillance program funded by National Institutes of Health. The goal of this research is to understand how viruses emerge and move among animals and people.

Dr. Tracey Goldstein of UC-Davis.

Between 2009 and 2011, the team of scientists tested nasal swabs from more than 900 marine mammals from 10 different species off the Pacific Coast from Alaska to California. They detected H1N1 infection in two northern elephant seals and antibodies to the virus in an additional 28 elephant seals, indicating more widespread exposure. Neither infected seal appeared to be ill, indicating marine mammals may be infected without showing clinical signs of illness. The findings are particularly pertinent to people who handle marine mammals, such as veterinarians and animal rescue and rehabilitation workers, Goldstein said. They are also a reminder of the importance of wearing personal protective gear when working around marine mammals, both to prevent workers’ exposure to diseases, as well as to prevent the transmission of human diseases to animals.

Photo courtesy of National Park Service.

H1N1 originated in pigs. It emerged in humans in 2009, spreading worldwide as a pandemic. The World Health Organization now considers the H1N1 strain from 2009 to be under control, taking on the behavior of a seasonal virus. “H1N1 was circulating in humans in 2009,” said Goldstein. “The seals on land in early 2010 tested negative before they went to sea, but when they returned from sea in spring 2010, they tested positive. So the question is where did it come from?”  When elephant seals are at sea, they spend most of their time foraging in the northeast Pacific Ocean off the continental shelf, which makes direct contact with humans unlikely, the report said. The seals had been satellite tagged and tracked, so the researchers knew exactly where they had been and when they arrived on the coast. The first seal traveled from California on Feb. 11 to southeast Alaska to forage off the continental shelf, returning to Point Piedras Blancas near San Simeon, Calif., on April 24. The second seal left Ano Nuevo State Reserve in San Mateo County, Calif., on Feb. 8, traveling to the northeast Pacific and returning on May 5.  Infections in both seals were detected within days of their return to land. The report said exposure likely occurred in the seals before they reached land, either while at sea or upon entering the near-shore environment. – For complete release see http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10572

Influenza:

Global 05/21/13 Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly: by Jonathan Fowler (AFP) – The world is unprepared for a massive virus outbreak, the deputy chief of the World Health Organization warned Tuesday, amid fears that H7N9 bird flu striking China could morph into a form that spreads easily among people. Keiji Fukuda told delegates at a WHO meeting that despite efforts since an outbreak of another form of avian influenza, H1N1, in 2009-10, far more contingency planning was essential. “Even though work has been done since that time, the world is not ready for a large, severe outbreak,” Fukuda said. Rapid-reaction systems were crucial, given that health authorities’ efforts are already hampered by lack of knowledge about such diseases, he insisted. “When people get hit with an emerging disease, you can’t just go to a book and know what to do,” he said. According to the latest official data, H7N9 avian influenza has infected 130 people in China, and killed 35, since it was found in humans for the first time in March. It is one of a vast array of flu viruses carried by birds, the overwhelming majority of which pose little or no risk to humans. Experts are struggling to understand how it spread to people, amid fears that it could adapt into a form that can be transmitted easily from human to human.- For complete article see http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gA_WiUNz4DDakbWArFcltmTknupw?docId=CNG.945e0940b30f2076656a59b4ea8de2b5.231

Yellow Fever:

Global 05/17/13 who.int: News Release – The yellow fever ‘booster’ vaccination given ten years after the initial vaccination is not necessary, according to WHO. An article published in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) reveals that the Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) has reviewed the latest evidence and concluded that a single dose of vaccination is sufficient to confer life-long immunity against yellow fever disease. Since yellow fever vaccination began in the 1930s, only 12 known cases of yellow fever post-vaccination have been identified, after 600 million doses have been dispensed. Evidence showed that among this small number of “vaccine failures”, all cases developed the disease within five years of vaccination. This demonstrates that immunity does not decrease with time. . . .

Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes that is endemic to 44 countries in tropical areas of Africa and the Americas. Infection with the yellow fever virus causes varying degrees of disease, from mild symptoms to severe illness with bleeding and jaundice and fatal outcomes. There are an estimated 200 000 cases of yellow fever worldwide each year. About 15% of people infected with yellow fever progress to a severe form of the illness, and up to half of those will die, as there is no cure for yellow fever.  – For complete news release see http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/yellow_fever_20130517/en/index.html

Author’s Note: The yellow fever virus is an arbovirus of the flavivirus genus, and the mosquito is the primary vector. It carries the virus from one host to another, primarily between monkeys, from monkeys to humans, and from person to person. Several different species of the Aedes and Haemogogus mosquitoes transmit the virus. The mosquitoes either breed around houses (domestic), in the jungle (wild) or in both habitats (semi-domestic). – Source WHO Yellow Fever Fact Sheet  at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs100/en/index.html

Rabies:

Missouri 05/20/13 Ozark County: Health officials have confirmed that two skunks captured in the county within the last month have tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.ozarkcountytimes.com/news/article_6539ffdc-c18e-11e2-974e-001a4bcf6878.html

New Hampshire 05/20/13 Grafton County: Two raccoons that were reported to be acting strangely in Hanover last week have tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.boston.com/news/local/new-hampshire/2013/05/20/raccoons-with-rabies-found-town/3DuImvKRJXhRGOw2iXy4PL/story.html

Virginia 05/20/13 James City County: The Peninsula Health District is looking for a large grey dog, possibly a Rottweiler mix, that bit a child on May 9, 2013, near the intersection of Cardinal Court and The Maine W in James City County. Officials say if this dog is not found, the victim may have to undergo post exposure treatment (shots) for the prevention of rabies. Once found, the animal will not be taken away from its owner – only placed on an in-home confinement period of 10 days, officials say. Anyone who has seen an animal that fits this description in that area is asked to contact the Peninsula Health District – Williamsburg Environmental Health Office at (757) 603-4277. – See http://wtkr.com/2013/05/20/officials-search-for-dog-that-may-have-rabies-in-james-city-co/

Two COLORADO children attacked by COYOTES in separate incidents ~ RABIES reports from NV, NM, NY, NC, & OH ~ TRAVEL WARNING: DENGUE in KENYA.

Coyotes. Courtesy National Park Service.

Colorado 05/13/13 kdvr.com: by David Mitchell – Two coyotes were shot and killed in the city of Boulder after a report of a coyote biting a 5-year-old boy. Boulder and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials shot a female coyote Tuesday night and a male coyote Thursday night. Both animals were on city open space east of Foothills Parkway and near the Boulder Creek Path. The aggressive incident happened last weekend and was reported Monday according to a statement released Friday. A father told the city he was with two 5-year-old boys who were playing near the creek when two coyotes surrounded them. As one of the boys ran to his father, one of the coyotes chased him and bit his leg. “The bite resulted in a scratch, but fortunately, didn’t puncture the skin,” the statement says. The city just completed a four-week hazing program for coyotes designed to reduce their activity and reports of them approaching or chasing people. One other bite had been reported. – See http://kdvr.com/2013/03/15/2-coyotes-shot-killed-after-attack-on-5-year-old-in-boulder/

Colorado 05/18/13 cbslocal.com: A 2-year-old is recovering from serious head injuries after she was attacked by a coyote. The toddler named Raegan was attacked at Goose Gossage Park in Colorado Springs on Thursday. She had just come down a slide when a coyote attacked her, unprovoked. – See http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/05/18/toddler-attacked-by-coyote-in-colorado-springs/

Rabies:

Nevada 05/17/13 Clark County: Two bats found in the county have tested positive for rabies. One of the bats was found flopping about on the ground by a group of children but it was determined that none of them were exposed to the virus. – See http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/207909461.html

New Mexico 05/18/13 Bernalillo County: A bat found in the vicinity of Betts Street in Albuquerque has tested positive for rabies. It was reported that children were taking pictures of the bat and officials are trying to determine if any of them touched the animal. – See http://www.koat.com/news/new-mexico/albuquerque/infected-bat-spurs-rabies-scare-in-albuquerque/-/9153728/20199766/-/5leo27z/-/index.html

New York 05/17/13 Onondaga County: A raccoon found in the vicinity of the West Seneca Turnpike in Marcellus has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/05/raccoon_found_in_marcellus_tes.html

North Carolina 05/17/13 Cleveland County: A raccoon reported to be displaying abnormal behavior in the vicinity of Deer Creek Road in Casar on Wednesday has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.shelbystar.com/news/local/raccoon-county-s-fourth-rabies-case-of-year-1.144895

Ohio 05/17/13 Medina County: A bat found in a Parkway home in the northeast part of Brunswick has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.cleveland.com/brunswick/index.ssf/2013/05/post_25.html

Travel Warning:

Kenya 05/17/13 cdc.gov: An outbreak of dengue in Mombasa, Kenya, has been reported by the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (MOPHS). Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya and is a major shipping port and tourist destination. This is the first identified dengue outbreak in Mombasa since 1982. MOPHS, the Kenya Medical Research Institute,  the Walter Reed Project, and CDC are working together to reduce the mosquito population in the area, educate health care workers and community members about the disease, and monitor the area for more dengue cases. – For recommendations and additional information see http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/dengue-in-kenya

WISCONSIN MAN mauled by BLACK BEAR ~ MONTANA confirms 2 cases of HANTAVIRUS ~ CALIFORNIA university police issue MOUNTAIN LION warning ~ CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE moving toward SHENANDOAH and YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARKS ~ RABIES reports from AR, CA, CT, ID, MDx2, NCx2, OH, TX, VA, & WA ~ ANNOUNCEMENT: USDA APHIS meeting re FERAL SWINE damage management.

Black bear. Courtesy U.S. Forest Service.

Wisconsin 05/16/13 greenbaypressgazette.com: by Nathan Phelps – A man was bitten, cut and scratched Wednesday when he was attacked by a black bear on Finch Lane in Silver Cliff in Marinette County. Gerre Ninnemann encountered the bear just before 1:30 p.m. after seeing it go after his dog, according to a Marinette County Sheriff’s Department report. Ninnemann called his dog back to the house and tried to run inside, but the bear ran him down from behind and took him to the ground. The animal started biting and clawing at his back, the report said. Ninnemann was able to get up and make it to the corner of the cabin, but was caught by the animal again.

Marinette County

His wife, Marie, grabbed a shotgun from the home and used it to hit the bear on the head. At that point, Gerre Ninneman again was able to get away from the bear. He used theshotgun to poke it in an effort to keep it away as they retreated into the cabin. The bear continued to circle the cabin and look in the windows, according to the report. A Marinette County deputy shot and killed the bear. A conservation warden took possession of the bear to check for possible rabies, according to the incident report. Gerre Ninneman was taken to Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette for treatment.

Hantavirus:

Gallatin County

Montana 05/17/13 bozemandailychronicle.com: County and state officials today confirmed two new cases of hantavirus and the first 2013 death in the state from the illness. A Gallatin County woman in her 20s died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and a Carbon County man in his 40s was diagnosed with it, the Department of Health and Human Services reported.

Carbon County

The Gallatin County woman is the 10th person in Montana to die from hantavirus. Both people appear to have had recent exposure to rodents. There have been 37 reported cases of hantavirus in Montana since 1993. With one or two cases a year, Montana is second only to New Mexico in the number of cases. – For further details read May 18 report at www.dailychronicle.com

Mountain Lion Sightings:

California 05/14/13 sanluisobispo.com: by Julia Hickey – A mountain lion sighting at Cal Poly on Monday night has brought the number of sightings at or near the university to four this month. All of the sightings have taken place near Poly Canyon Village, said George Hughes, chief of police for the University Police Department. “This mountain lion has been seen on the hillside. That’s its natural habitat; it’s not unusual,” Hughes said. The first sighting took place May 2 on Stenner Creek Road; followed by two sightings Sunday near the Poly Canyon Village parking structure; and a fourth sighting at 9:30 p.m. on Monday night in the same area near the structure. Police are assuming that all sightings are of the same mountain lion, Hughes said.  Although mountain lions are secretive and attacks on humans are rare, police say there are considered threats. – For recommendations see http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/05/14/2508213/mountain-lion-poly-canyon-village.html

Chronic Wasting Disease:

Virginia 05/14/13 dailyprogress.com: by Aaron Richardson -  A deadly brain disorder affecting deer, moose and elk is on the region’s doorstep, and its spread could be impossible to stop. Chronic wasting disease, a progressive condition that can remain idle for years before killing the infected animal, has been found in deer 25 miles from the Shenandoah National Park’s northern border, said park biologist Rolf Gubler. The park stretches northeast from outside Waynesboro to Front Royal. Experts say there is no evidence that chronic wasting can be transmitted to humans. But its effect on deer, as well as moose and elk, is devastating — symptoms include dramatic weight loss, tremors and teeth-grinding — and the disease is incurable. Park officials held meetings on chronic wasting earlier this spring in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Washington, and they are working on a plan to contain the infection. That could include thinning the heaviest populations of whitetail deer in the park. – For complete article see http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/chronic-wasting-disease-in-deer-likely-to-move-farther-east/article_173a965a-bcea-11e2-ad43-0019bb30f31a.html

Wyoming 05/14/13 thewildlifenews.com: Information gleaned from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department indicates that deadly Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is advancing towards western Wyoming’s winter elk feed grounds and Yellowstone National Park. A new map from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition shows the areas where the disease has been detected in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are within 45 miles of winter elk feedgrounds and about 40 miles from Yellowstone Park’s northeast corner. The 2012 information reveals the farthest advance west of CWD in deer in Wyoming yet. Last year, three mule deer were found infected with CWD in Green River, Wyo.; an infected moose was found near Idaho in Star Valley, Wyo., in 2008. Veteran conservationist Lloyd Dorsey of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition said the disease is now essentially on the doorstep of the elk feed grounds, including the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole. Dorsey notes that deer from the endemic disease areas to the east and south migrate north and west to elk herd units in the upper Green River and Jackson Hole, where most of the winter feed grounds are located. For more information on the map depicting CWD areas and Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s efforts to phase out the artificial elk feeding areas and transition to healthier, free ranging wildlife, see http://www.greateryellowstone.org/elkrefuge – For complete article see http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2013/05/17/chronic-wasting-disease-closes-in-on-yellowstone/

West Nile Virus (WNV):

Mississippi 05/15/13 Madison County: State health officials have confirmed the first human case of WNV reported in the state this year in early April. Last year, 247 cases of WNV were reported statewide, including 5 fatalities. – See http://www.dailyleader.com/news/article_e7036d56-bd8c-11e2-97b0-0019bb2963f4.html

Rabies:

Arkansas 05/16/13 Garland County: Officials confirm nine skunks have tested positive for rabies in the county in the last three months. Pope County has the highest in the state with 13 cases, and statewide Arkansas had more confirmed cases by May of this year than in the entire year of 2011. With 90 confirmed cases and the summer months still ahead, the Natural State is on track to surpass the 131 cases recorded in 2012. – See http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext?nxd_id=663792

California 05/14/13 Santa Clara County: A bat found April 12^th on the Los Gatos Creek Trail between Lark Avenue and Charter Oaks Drive has tested positive for rabies. – See http://campbell.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/bat-found-on-los-gatos-creek-trail-tests-positive-fore594fe7b41

Connecticut 05/14/13 New Haven County: A raccoon found May 12^th in the vicinity of Pope and Hawley roads in Oxford has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.voicesnews.com/articles/2013/05/14/arts_and_living/pets_and_wildlife/doc519274565e1f2493782011.txt

Idaho 05/14/13 Kootenai County: A bat found on an interior staircase of a home in the county has tested positive for rabies. Everyone living in the home is now being treated for potential exposure to the virus. – See http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/may/14/rabid-bat-flies-north-idaho-home/

Maryland 05/16/13 Garrett County: Seven people are being treated for exposure to rabies after a goat in the southern area of the county tested positive for the virus. – See http://times-news.com/local/x730880365/Second-rabies-case-in-Garrett-involves-goat

Maryland 05/14/13 carrollcountytimes.com: by Kelcie Pegher – The Carroll County Health Department is seeking a medium-sized dog with a black coat that bit a person at Memorial Park in Taneytown May 5, according to a release from Carroll County Government. Joe Mancuso, the rabies coordinator for Carroll County said from the description that was given to him, it does not appear as though the dog had rabies.  If you have any information to help locate the dog or its owner, contact the Carroll County Health Department at 410-876-1884, or the Carroll County Humane Society at 410-848-4810.

North Carolina 05/15/13 Henderson County: A gray fox that attacked and bit a woman who was working in the garden at her home on Penny Drive in Hendersonville has tested positive for rabies. The fox bit her several times on the left hand and right leg. Later that night, the fox bit a man in the vicinity of Sweetwater Hills Drive and fortunately the man managed to kill the animal with his flashlight. Both bite victims are being treated for exposure to the virus. – See http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20130515/NEWS/130519867?p=2&tc=pg

North Carolina 05/15/13 Guilford County: A fox that bit two children on Sunday who were sitting on the deck at their apartment on Guyer Street in High Point has tested positive for rabies. One was bitten on the hand, the other on the leg. – See http://www.news-record.com/news/1225066-91/rabid-fox-bites-two-children

Ohio 05/16/13 Mahoning County: A raccoon found in the vicinity of Cherry Hill Place in Boardman has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/may/16/second-rabid-raccoon-found-in-mahoning-c/?nw

Texas 05/16/13 Taylor and Jones counties: A skunk found in the 3400 block of Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene has tested positive for rabies. Three unvaccinated dogs had been in contact with the skunk. Last month, two rabid skunks were captured within the city’s limits. – See http://www.reporternews.com/news/2013/may/16/third-skunk-in-abilene-this-year-with-rabies/

Virginia 05/14/13 Pittsylvania County: A raccoon found in the vicinity of Laniers Mill Road has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/article_ccdf3da2-bcd7-11e2-843e-001a4bcf6878.html

Washington 05/14/13 Franklin County: A bat that bit an 11-month-old child twice in Pasco has tested positive for rabies. The child and her grandmother, who removed the bat from the child’s back, are being treated for exposure to the virus. The bat few from the deck umbrella as it was being opened. – See http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/05/14/2597353/rabid-bat-bites-pasco-baby.html

Announcement:

On Thursday, May 23^rd, APHIS’ Wildlife Services and Veterinary Services programs will host a scoping meeting to provide more information about a national approach to feral swine damage management and take comments from participating stakeholders.  Anyone who is unable to attend in person can join the meeting via a live Webcast.  Additional meeting information is available on the Wildlife Services’ Web site at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/feral_swine/index.shtml.  A Notice announcing APHIS’ intent to prepare an environmental impact statement to examine the potential impacts of alternatives for feral swine damage management was published in today’s Federal Register. The public comment period closes June 12.  http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS_FRDOC_0001-1436.

Event Logistics:

Date:  Thursday, May 23, 2013 ~ Time: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EDT

Location: 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737

FERAL HOGS a growing concern in OKLAHOMA ~ NEW YORK scientist says new LYME DISEASE VACCINE shows promise in clinical trials ~ CDC releases final 2012 WEST NILE VIRUS report ~ WEST NILE VIRUS report from TENNESSEE ~ RABIES reports from CA, NY, NCx3, & TX.

Feral hog. Photo by University of Missouri Ext.

Oklahoma 05/14/13 odwc.state.ok.us: News Release – Feral hogs destroy wildlife habitat at alarming rates and cause a number of important concerns to hunters, farmers and other landowners in Oklahoma  Feral hogs can cause extensive damage to farm fields, crops, stored livestock feed, woodlots, suburban landscaping, golf courses and wildlife habitat relied upon by native species such as deer, turkey, squirrels and quail. Their voracious appetites, destructive habits and prolific breeding patterns wreak havoc on the landscape, often resulting in overwhelming competition to native species. They may also carry diseases that can be transmitted to other species, including humans. “The bottom line is they don’t belong here,” said Kevin Grant, Oklahoma state director of Wildlife Services for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which oversees feral swine management issues in Oklahoma as part of a memorandum of understanding with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The memorandum is rooted in the fact that feral swine are not true wildlife, but rather descendants of domestic stock living at large in a feral state.

Grant said millions of dollars and significant resources have been spent in an effort to make sure domestic swine stock is safe from disease, so the presence of feral populations raises concerns for the safety of domestic swine and the swine industry. “If they’re here, they need to be on the plate or in a pen because they’re not native to the Americas, and the way that they’re really taking off out there is pretty phenomenal,” Grant said. Grant’s comments were part of a presentation to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission on the statewide status of feral swine, or “wild hogs” as they are often called in Oklahoma. According to Grant and officials with the Wildlife Department, feral hogs are a well-established and still growing problem in Oklahoma. “They are probably the most prolific large mammal around,” Grant said, adding that feral swine can reach sexual maturity by 6 months of age, have relatively short gestational periods and can give birth to large litters multiple times a year. In the 1990s, the Agriculture Department worked with the Wildlife Department and the Noble Foundation to study the spread of feral hog populations in Oklahoma. Feral hogs seemed to originate in southeastern Oklahoma, and they since have spread to all 77 counties. – For complete release see https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?shva=1#inbox/13ea4fb0754627c5

Lyme Disease:

Global 05/13/13 healthcanal.com: News Release – The results of a phase 1/2 clinical trial in Europe of an investigational Lyme disease vaccine co-developed by researchers at Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and at healthcare company Baxter International S.A., revealed it to be promising and well tolerated, according to a research paper published online in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The vaccine was shown to produce substantial antibodies against all targeted species of Borrelia, the causative agent of Lyme disease in Europe and the United States. Baxter conducted the clinical trial of the vaccine.

Benjamin Luft, M.D., Stony Brook University School of Medicine.

Since the early 1990s, Benjamin Luft, MD, the Edmund D. Pellegrino Professor of Medicine at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and the late John Dunn, Ph.D., a biologist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, spearheaded the initial development of the original vaccine antigen concept, and together with researchers at Baxter helped bioengineer the formulation used in the clinical trial. . . “The results of the clinical trial conducted by Baxter are promising because the vaccine generated a potent human immune reaction, covered the complete range of Borrelia active in the entire Northern hemisphere, and produced no major side effects,” said Dr. Luft, a co-author on the paper. “We hope that a larger-scale, Phase 3 trial will demonstrate not only a strong immune response but true efficacy in a large population that illustrates protection against Lyme disease.” – For complete release see http://www.healthcanal.com/infections/38557-lyme-disease-vaccine-shows-promise-in-clinical-trials.html

West Nile Virus (WNV):

National 05/14/13 cdc.gov: Media Advisory – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released the final 2012 national surveillance data for West Nile virus activity. To access the information, please visit www.cdc.gov/westnile . A total of 5,674 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 286 deaths, were reported to CDC from 48 states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Of all West Nile virus disease cases reported, 2,873 (51 percent) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis). The dates of illness onset (when the patients’ illness began) ranged from March through December 2012. The numbers of neuroinvasive, non-neuroinvasive, and total West Nile virus disease cases reported in 2012 are the highest since 2003. The number of deaths is the highest since cases of WNV disease were first detected in the United States in 1999.

Tennessee 05/13/13 Davidson County: A batch of mosquitoes collected in Bordeaux near the intersection of Clarksville Pike and West Hamilton have tested positive for WNV.  – See http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130513/NEWS07/305130038

Rabies:

California 05/14/13 Orange County: A bat found on the garage floor of a home in the 2300 block of Vanguard Way in Costa Mesa on May 5 has tested positive for rabies. A 15-year-old boy contained the live bat in a box without touching it, he said, but the family was urged to pursue a course of action because of possible exposure. – See http://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-me-0515-rabid-bat-20130513,0,5554328.story

New York 05/12/13 Staten Island: A Rabies Alert has been issued after ten raccoons and one bat tested positive for the virus on the island so far this year. The raccoons were found in Eltingville, Grasmere, Great Kills, New Dorp, Park Hill, and Westerleigh. – See http://statenisland.ny1.com/content/top_stories/181948/doh-says-high-number-of-si-raccoons-tested-positive-for-rabies

North Carolina 05/13/13 Wake County: A fox that fought with an unvaccinated dog last Wednesday in the vicinity of the 300 block of Jones Franklin Road in Raleigh has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.hollyspringssun.com/view/full_story/22524264/article-Wake-issues-rabies-notice?instance=popular

North Carolina 05/13/13 Guilford County: A raccoon found on Foxcreek Court in High Point has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.news-record.com/home/1213043-63/raccoon-tests-positive-for-rabies

North Carolina 05/12/13 New Hanover County: A Wilmington woman says she is scared she will have to have unnecessary rabies shots, after the owner of a dog that bit her disappeared. Susan Matthews said she was at the Fort Fisher Park on Saturday, visiting with one family and their puppy, when a second dog came up and bit her in the face. She says she started bleeding and raced down to the water to wash off her face, when she looked back, she says the dog owner had disappeared. “It happened so fast and then they were gone, it made me just want to cry,” said Matthews. “I was in shock the rest of the day, both about the bite and the fact that they left.” She says the cut continued to bleed, and wants to know if the dog had its rabies shots. If she can’t find the owners, she says she will have to go forward with rabies shot. “It’s very painful and very expensive and we don’t have insurance,” said Susan. She says, she is hoping to find the owner before time runs out, so she can save herself the pain and extra money if the shot is unnecessary. Susan says the dog has white hair. (Anyone with information about this incident should contact New Hanover County Public Health at 910-798-6500.)

Texas 05/13/13 Wichita County: A Rabies Alert has been issued in Wichita Falls after two skunks tested positive for the virus. – See http://texomashomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=274872

CANADIAN has 300 stitches after BLACK BEAR attack ~ COYOTES snatch DOGS and confront PEOPLE in CALIFORNIA municipal park ~ CALIFORNIA Park Ranger attacked by MOUNTAIN LION in Redwood National Park ~ RACCOONS responsible for frequent MICHIGAN beach closings ~ RABIES reports from AZ, NY, NCx2, OK, & VAx3.

Black Bear photo by Lynn Chamberlain, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Canada:

Ontario 05/12/13 torontosun.com: by Len Gillis – Two Timmins, Ont., women scared off a 400-pound black bear attacking a man after it had killed his dog and left him with wounds that needed 300 stitches. “I could feel his teeth rubbing against my skull. That was the worst feeling ever,” said Azougar, 30, said Sunday from his hospital bed at Lady Minto Hospital in Cochrane, Ont. Azougar was attacked and mauled by the bear early Saturday as he sat on the front step of his remote cabin eating breakfast. He was rescued by the two Timmins “angels”, campers who had been driving by on a bush road and heard his screams. They were able to scare the bear away and drive the bleeding Azougar to hospital. “I feel good. I am in a little bit of pain, but I’m OK,” said Azougar, who had been given a shot of morphine to ease the pain of the more than 300 stitches needed to close dozens of puncture wounds.

Black bear. Photo by Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Surrounded by family and friends on Sunday, Azougar said he still plans to enjoy life in the outdoors. He moved to Cochrane, Ont., from Toronto last month, to set up an Internet entrepreneur business. “I was having breakfast on my front porch,” he said as he described the tiny eight-by-sixteen foot cabin on a remote bush road, about 10 kilometres south of Cochrane. “Out of nowhere, I could hear this thud, this vibration on the ground,” he said. “Then there was this bear coming towards me.”His German Shepherd rushed at the bear and as the two animals fought, Azougar ran into the cabin and slammed the door but the bear followed. “He started rushing the window, breaking the window and chipping off wood beside the window,” Azougar said.“He made it through (the window) and I ran out,” he said, with the bear in pursuit. “After about 30 metres, he took me to the ground.” Azougar said the animal slammed him down with its front paws, and began clawing and biting. “He knocked me down and I covered my head. He took my shoulder apart, then he peeled the skin off my head and started biting my skull,” Azougar recalled.“I could feel his teeth rubbing against my skull. That was the worst feeling ever. I jammed my thumb into his eye and so he went back to my shoulder.” “I was just screaming. I could feel my flesh being pulled by his teeth,” he said, adding that a good portion of his scalp was torn off.“I just thought I was dying. He was trying to drag me into the bush, like where he killed the dog.”

Azougar said he thought he was going to pass out, when suddenly there was a lull in the savage attack and the sound of a blaring car horn. “Out of nowhere these two ladies showed up in a car. After that the bear ran away. I don’t know who they were,” Azougar said. “They just showed up out of nowhere.” “The women that saved, me, no I don’t know them. I would like to know them, to meet them,” Azougar said. “If you meet them, you thank those angels for me. They are my angels. Without them I wouldn’t be alive.” Ontario Provincial Police and the Ministry of Natural Resources responded to the bear attack call immediately Saturday and killed the bear. – See original article, photo, and map at http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/12/women-scare-off-bear-attacking-man-in-northern-ontario-campgrounds

Coyote Attacks:

California 05/10/13 signalscv.com: by Jim Holt – A coyote snatched a dog from a girl’s arms in Valencia Summit Park, where sheriff’s deputies and animal control workers responded Friday on a report of a jogger chased by a coyote, officials confirmed. “Apparently they found a coyote that people are telling us is aggressive,” said Sgt. Rich Nagler of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “We went out there and animal control was called.” The report of a coyote chasing a jogger at Summit Park came in about 8 a.m. Friday. A man walking two large dogs reportedly came to the woman’s aid and chased off the coyote, investigators said. No one was hurt. The incidents follow an attack Tuesday at the same park in which a coyote grabbed and killed a dog being walked on a leash held by a 6-year-old girl, said Evelina Villa, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. – For complete article see http://www.signalscv.com/section/36/article/95812/

Mountain Lion Attack:

California 05/10/13 times-standard.com: At approximately 7:30 pm on Thursday May 9, 2013, an off-duty Park Ranger was attacked by a mountain lion on Crescent Beach within Redwood National and State Parks. Crescent Beach is located off Enderts Beach Road just south of Crescent City, CA. The ranger was fishing on the beach accompanied by his dog. The park ranger witnessed his dog being chased by an animal that he quickly identified as a mountain lion. He yelled at the lion as the animal approached him. The lion attacked the ranger who responded by striking it with his fishing pole and kicking the animal several times. The lion swiped at the ranger at least once, tearing his jeans, but without causing any bodily injury. The lion eventually ran off. Both the park ranger and his dog were unhurt in the attack.

The park ranger contacted California Fish and Wildlife Officers and National Park Rangers who immediately responded to the scene. Enderts Beach Road and the Nickel Creek Campground were cleared during the search for the mountain lion. Both have been re-opened to the public today. The lion was spotted hiding in driftwood near the location of the original attack around 9:00 pm and was dispatched by Fish & Wildlife Officers around 9:15 pm. The attacking animal was a sub-adult which is classified as a younger, not fully grown animal, but independent and no longer dependent on its mother. The lion carcass has been sent to the California Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab in Sacramento or further analysis. More details on the age, gender, size and condition of the animal will be released after further analysis. – For complete article see http://www.times-standard.com/news/ci_23216890/mountain-lion-attack-at-crescent-beach-redwood-national

Raccoons:

Michigan 05/12/13 seattlepi.com: Officials say they have found the source of bacterial pollution that has caused the frequent closing of a beach on Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay, and a possible solution. Feces from raccoons that live in nearby storm drains are the source of high e-coli levels at East Bay Park in Traverse City, officials say. They say a $768,000 grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant will help them build a filtering system they say should reduce the pollution. Sarah U’Ren of the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay says storm drain cameras spotted hundreds of pounds of raccoon feces at the site.

Rabies:

Arizona 05/10/3 Gila County: A Rabies Alert has been issued after a fox and a coyote that were found in the vicinity of Forest and Mule Track roads near Young tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2013/may/10/coyote-foxes-positive-rabies-young/

New York 05/09/13 Chautauqua County: A bat captured by a resident of Ellington, who awoke to find the animal flying around the room, has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130509/CITYANDREGION/130509217/1010

North Carolina 05/10/13 Mecklenburg County: A kitten that was a domestic pet living with a family in the 28205 ZIP code area, which includes Plaza Midwood, has tested positive for rabies. The kitten was not eating and was exhibiting strange behavior. The family is receiving post exposure rabies treatment. – See http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Plaza-Midwood-pet-tests-positive-for-rabies-207010721.html

North Carolina 05/10/13 Scotland County: A fox that attacked a woman earlier this week as she walked to her car in the vicinity of Havelock Drive in the Leisure Living subdivision of Laurinburg has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/view/full_story/22538788/article-Woman-bitten-by-rabid-fox?instance=popular

Oklahoma 05/10/13 Oklahoma County: A 10-week-old puppy held in foster care for the Oklahoma Humane Society by an Oklahoma City family tested positive for rabies after suddenly becoming aggressive and biting a family member. – See article and video at http://www.koco.com/news/oklahomanews/okc/family-discovers-10weekold-foster-puppy-has-rabies/-/11777584/20095078/-/ui15jdz/-/index.html

Virginia 05/10/13 Louisa County: A stray dog described as a Husky mix found late Tuesday on Dusty Road in Bumpass has tested positive for rabies. Anyone who may have been in contact with the dog should seek immediate medical advice. – See http://www.wric.com/story/22216358/dog-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-louisa-county

Virginia 05/10/13 Norfolk: A raccoon that attacked a vaccinated dog in the vicinity of Rolleston Avenue recently has tested positive for rabies. – See http://hamptonroads.com/2013/05/raccoon-tests-positive-rabies-norfolk

Virginia 05/09/13 Newport News: A sick raccoon found in the vicinity of Briarfield Road and Mercy Boulevard earlier this month has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/newport_news/raccoon-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-nn

MOUNTAIN LION approaches CALIFORNIA HIKER ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from TN, & TX ~ RABIES reports from AL, CO, DC, GA, KS, MI, NJx2, NY, SC, & TX ~ ANNOUNCEMENT: CDC announced new LYME and other TICKBORNE DISEASE resources.

Mountain lion. Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey.

California 05/08/13 marinscope.com: by Soren Hemmila – A Mill Valley woman reported seeing a mountain lion while hiking alone near Tam Valley last weekend. Mill Valley resident Elizabeth Kennard said she was hiking on a trail near Tennessee Valley Road when she spotted a mountain lion about 40 feet away. “I first thought oh my goodness maybe it’s a bob cat, don’t be scared,” Kennard said. “Then I saw it was larger and I saw its long tail and knew it wasn’t a bobcat.” The mountain lion leaped at something in the undergrowth and then turned and stared at Kennard before it started walking toward her. “There was nothing nearby to throw so I started backing slowly away and shouting very loudly,” Kennard said. Finally the mountain lion turned and went into the bushes. – For complete article see http://www.marinscope.com/mill_valley_herald/news/article_69183560-b829-11e2-a8df-0019bb2963f4.html

West Nile Virus (WNV):

Tennessee 05/07/13 Shelby County: The Health Department reported that mosquitoes collected in seven ZIP codes across the county — 38116, 38122 and 38127 in Memphis, 38133 in Bartlett, 38125 in Germantown, 38017 in Collierville and 38141 in unincorporated areas — tested positive for WNV. It’s the earliest detection in the dozen or so years since the virus initially spread to the county. – See http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/may/07/health-officials-report-earliest-ever-detection/

Texas 05/03/13 Denton County: Mosquitoes trapped in Lewisville on April 30^th in the vicinity of the 800 block of College Street and the 1700 block of South Edmond behind the Renaissance Village Retirement Center have tested positive for WNV. Spraying has been scheduled in both areas. – See http://www.coppellgazette.com/articles/2013/05/03/lewisville_leader/news/8622.txt

Rabies:

Alabama 05/07/13 Baldwin County: Health officials have issued a Rabies Alert after a fox that was found in the vicinity of Fairhope tested positive for rabies. – See http://blog.al.com/pr-community-news/2013/05/rabid_fox_in_baldwin_county_pr.html

Colorado 05/03/13 Washington County: A sick feral cat that bit and scratched an adult and a minor has tested positive for rabies. This is the second feral cat to test positive for rabies in the northeastern part of the state this year. – See http://www.yumapioneer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5391&Itemid=39

District of Columbia 05/03/13: A sick raccoon captured in the 3100 block of Macomb Street NW has tested positive for rabies. Cleveland Park residents have been advised to secure trash cans, repair access holes in their homes, and keep pets on a leash. – See http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Rabid-Raccoon-in-Cleveland-Park-205969911.html

Georgia 05/08/13 DeKalb County: The communities of Brookhaven and Chamblee have issued Rabies Alerts after county officials captured two raccoons in the Harts Mill Court area on April 26^th and in the Ragley Hall Road area on April 30^th. Both raccoons tested positive for rabies. – See http://brookhaven.patch.com/articles/brookhaven-chamblee-communities-on-rabies-alert

Kansas 05/03/13 McPherson County: A cow examined by a veterinarian in the City of McPherson late last month has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/article/20130503/NEWS/130509705/1001/NEWS

Michigan 05/07/13 Wayne County: A bat that was found in Palmer Park on April 24^th and was unable to fly has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/22183912/bat-f

New Jersey 05/03/13 Salem County: A raccoon that fought with two vaccinated dogs in Quinton Township last week has tested positive for rabies. The dogs’ owner cleaned the dogs after the scuffle and is being treated for possible contact with the raccoon’s saliva and exposure to the rabies virus. – See http://www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2013/05/rabid_raccoon_reported_in_quin.html

New Jersey 05/03/13 Cape May County: A raccoon shot by police on Route 47 in Cape May Court House has tested positive for rabies. A skunk that fought with a dog in Swainton on May 1^st and was also shot by police was presumed to be rabid. And another skunk that fought with a dog in a separate incident on May 3^rd in Cape May Court House is being tested for rabies. – See http://shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/2010-04-07-20-18-16/middle-township-news/38093-middle-police-shoot-two-animals-suspected-to-have-rabies.html

New York 05/08/13 Oneida County: A fox that attacked a man twice in the vicinity of Pheasant Lane in New Hartford on Monday was shot by police and has tested positive for rabies. The man is receiving post exposure treatment. – See http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/05/fox_from_new_hartford_attack_h.html

South Carolina 05/08/13 Saluda County: A raccoon that bit a man in the county recently has tested positive for rabies. Health officials declined to release further information. – See http://www.indexjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=40&ArticleID=18489

Texas 05/03/13 Montague County: A skunk that entered a local residence in Bowie last weekend has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2013/may/03/briefly-5-3/

Announcement:

National 05/08/13 cdc.gov: News Release – The CDC has announced the release of a comic strip for school-aged children that teaches them how to prevent tick bites, even when Mom and Dad aren’t around:  See http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/toolkit/DontletTicksbitemeComicFS_508.pdf

And Tickborne Diseases of the United States: A Reference Guide for Health Care Providers. – See http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/TickborneDiseases.pdf

Another interior ALASKA WOLF tests positive for RABIES ~ More RABIES reports from AL, CA, FL, & WV.

Gray wolf. Courtesy National Park Service.

Alaska 05/02/13 alaskadispatch.com: by Jerzy Shedlock – A second wolf has tested positive for rabies in Interior Alaska. The news comes just a week after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced another wolf shot in the same region tested positive for the viral disease. It was the first animal to test positive for the virus so far inland. A trapper shot the wolf in mid-March near the Chandalar Lake area — roughly 180 miles north of Fairbanks, near the Brooks Range — after spotting the animal caught in a trap. The trapper described the wolf’s behavior as dull and unaware, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.A state virology lab in Fairbanks confirmed on Wednesday that the wolf was infected with rabies. The trapper who shot the wolf wasn’t directly exposed to the disease but his dogs were. The dogs ate the wolf’s raw carcass while camping on a trap line. Now, the dogs are home and believed to be on rabies vaccinations. As directed by State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Gerlach, the dogs will receive booster shots and be placed under quarantine.

Kimberlee Beckmen, a wildlife veterinarian for Fish and Game, said feeding the raw meat of wild animals to pets is dangerous. “Pets can not only become infected,” she said in Thursday press release, “they can transmit the diseases and parasites to their owners,” with rabies among the most serious. In late March, a trapper shot an abnormally acting wolf near Chandalar Lake. The wolf tested positive for rabies and the people who had cut their hands during the skinning process were treated for rabies exposure. A number of rabies cases have been diagnosed along the northern and western coasts of Alaska this winter, and more cases are expected to be found among arctic and red fox populations. These animals pose exposure risks to people but an even greater risk to dogs in Alaska Bush villages, according to the press release. “People in that area should be on high alert,” Gerlach told the Dispatch. – For complete article see http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130502/second-interior-alaska-wolf-tests-positive-rabies

Rabies:

Alabama 05/02/13 Shelby County: A puppy that was the pet of a family living in the vicinity of the Beeswax Creek boat launch near Columbiana has tested positive for the raccoon strain of rabies. – See http://www.cbs42.com/2013/05/02/fourth-rabies-case-confirmed-in-shelby-county/

California 05/02/13 San Bernadino County: Health officials are trying to find a man who may have been exposed to a rabid bat deep in the Mojave Desert. “The bat landed on the man’s neck outside the book store at Kelso Depot (in the) Mojave National Preserve on Tuesday, April 30,” San Bernardino County health officials said in a written statement. “The bat tested positive for rabies.” Officials want the man to contact the Communicable Disease Section of the county’s Department of Public Health at 800-722-4794 or 909-356-3805. – See http://www.pe.com/local-news/san-bernardino-county/20130502-mojave-desert-rabid-bat-prompts-search-for-endangered-man.ece

Florida 05/02/13 Palm Beach County: A raccoon found by a vaccinated dog in Jupiter Farms last Saturday has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/raccoon-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-jupiter-farms/nXfK8/

West Virginia 05/02/13 Mineral County: A raccoon recently captured in the Piedmont area has tested positive for rabies. – See http://times-news.com/local/x730867629/News-Briefs-05-03-2013