FERAL CATS become major issue in a VIRGINIA city ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: Biologist identifies mystery white animal found in MAINE ~ RABIES reports from CA, CO, CT, FLx2, GAx2, ME, NM, NY, TX, & VA.

Feral cat colony. Photo by Scott Granneman. Wikimedia Commons.

Virginia 03/30/13 matinsvillemedia.com: The Martinsville Police Department is asking for citizens’ help in identifying their cats from the feral cats which have become a major issue in the city. Each year the department receives approximately 50 to 75 citizen requests asking them to trap feral cats which are on their property The main concern with feral cats is that they are frequent carriers of feline A.I.D.S. and feline leukemia. Because feral cats compete for food with other wild animals such as skunks and raccoons they are more susceptible to contracting rabies which can be spread to humans. Very often citizens complain that feral cats are getting into their trash, walking on their vehicles or posing a threat to the safety of their pets. Oftentimes feral cats become a nuisance to business owners when they begin staying in vacant buildings and warehouses.

In an effort to address the growing problem, Animal Control Officer E.C. Stone captured over 400 cats during the past two years, 36 of which came from a single vacant warehouse. The Police Department is asking that all citizens who own a cat to properly identify it by placing a collar on it bearing proof of rabies vaccination. According to Virginia State Code, ownership of a cat requires that a collar bearing proof of current rabies vaccination be placed on all domestic cats 4 months of age and older. Officer Stone also noted that according to Martinsville City Code, if a person feeds a feral cat, you are deemed to have constructive ownership of the cat and therefore are responsible for its rabies vaccination. Officer Stone encourages owners of cats to please consider having their pet spayed or neutered.

Follow-Up Report:

(See – Is WHITE ANIMAL found dead in MAINE a WOLF, COYOTE, or DOG? – posted 03/23/13)

Maine 03/26/13 seacoastonline.com: by Laura Dolce – A wildlife expert said he finally has an answer on the mystery white animal found dead in (Kennebunk) last week: It’s a rare white eastern coyote. After giving the animal a thorough examination early Monday afternoon — but not doing a necropsy yet — Maine wildlife biologist Scott Lindsay said measurements of the animal’s bones, the condition of its teeth and its bottle-brush tail all are “very consistent” with a coyote. . . . One mystery that remains, though, is exactly how this female coyote died. Lindsay said he is awaiting word from state officials on whether they wish to send it to a taxidermist to create a display with the animal for demonstration purposes. That will determine how he will necropsy the coyote, he said, which he will likely do later this week. – For complete article see http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130326-NEWS-303260381?cid=sitesearch

Rabies:

California 03/30/13 San Joaquin County: The family of Lucas Brandt, 17, a student at Count Stagg High School in Stockton, would like to find the owner of a dog that bit their son two weeks ago on the Calaveras River Bike Trail. Neither the dog, a black pit bull, nor its owner has been found, and Lucas is being treated for exposure to rabies as a precautionary measure. If you witnessed the incident, or know someone in the Stockton area who has a black pit bull, please contact authorities  – See http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130330/A_NEWS/303300322

Colorado 03/30/13 Larimer County: A fox that attacked a pet dog in Berthoud on Saturday has tested positive for rabies. The incident raises particular concerns because the area is near horse properties. – See http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Larimer-County-warns-of-rabies-in-area-4397017.php

Connecticut 03/29/13 Tolland County: A skunk that was shot while fighting with a vaccinated dog last Monday in the vicinity of Four Bridges and George Wood roads in Somers has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.journalinquirer.com/towns/rabid-skunk-found-in-somers/article_37e04ae8-987e-11e2-9442-001a4bcf887a.html

Florida 03/29/13 Palm Beach County: Two raccoons that attacked two dogs in separate incidents last week have both tested positive for rabies. Last Monday a dachshund was attacked in Lantana, and on Thursday a Chihuahua was attacked in Lake Clarke Shores. – See http://www.examiner.com/article/rabies-alert-palm-beach-county-after-two-raccoons-test-positive-for-disease

Florida 03/29/13 Marion County: A raccoon found about three miles southwest of Reddick has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.ocala.com/article/20130329/ARTICLES/130329611

Georgia 03/29/13 Camden County: A pet cat belonging to a family living in the Southern Pines mobile home park in Kingsland has tested positive for rabies. Two people are being treated for exposure and the cat and two other pets in the home have been euthanized. – See http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/georgia/article/306327/5/Health-officials-discover-rabid-cat

Georgia 03/29/13 Habersham County: A skunk that fought with a dog at 1147 Chopped Oak Road on Thursday has tested positive for rabies. The dog is not current with its rabies vaccination and may have to be euthanized. – See http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=259961

Maine 03/29/13 York County: A dead raccoon found in Kennebunk on Friday has tested positive for rabies. – See http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/29/news/portland/kennebunk-police-confirm-case-of-rabies/

New Mexico 03/29/13 Socorro County: A fox that bit an unvaccinated dog about a mile south of Magdalena on March 23^rd has tested positive for rabies. The dog had to be euthanized. It was reported the dog’s owner has been previously ticketed for allowing unvaccinated dogs to roam at large. – See http://www.dchieftain.com/2013/03/29/rabies-found-in-fox-by-magdalena

New York 03/29/13 Lewis County: Public Health Agency officials are asking for help in trying to find the owner of a dog that bit a person. The bite occurred about 4:30 p.m. Monday at routes 410 and 126 in the hamlet of Naumburg, town of Croghan. The dog is a fawn-colored boxer. Unless verification of its rabies vaccination is received, the person who was bitten will have to undergo a series of rabies post-exposure shots. Anyone with information is asked to call Lewis County Public Health at 376-5453.

Texas 03/29/13 Collin County: A skunk that came in contact with a Plano resident’s vaccinated pets last week has tested positive for rabies. The pets have been quarantined. – See http://planoblog.dallasnews.com/2013/03/plano-officials-urge-caution-after-skunk-tests-positive-for-rabies.html/

Virginia 03/29/13 City of Waynesboro: A young fox that fought with two vaccinated dogs at a home off Meadowview Cove last Wednesday has tested positive for rabies. The dogs have been quarantined. – See http://www.newsleader.com/article/20130329/NEWS01/303290007/Rabies-case-reported-Waynesboro

Scientists say SWINE FLU H1N1 VIRUS that caused 2009 pandemic becoming resistant to treatment ~ Scientists discover VIRUS behind mystery HORSE disease ~ FDA warns of SALMONELLA from handling RODENTS, REPTILES, & AMPHIBIANS ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: Hundreds evaluated for RABIES exposure in 5 states after death of kidney recipient.

Piglet. Wikimedia Commons. PD.

Global 03/18/13 independent.co.uk: by Michael McCarthy & Samantha Hunt – The virus responsible for the “swine flu” pandemic of 2009 is becoming increasingly resistant to the main drug used to treat it, new research has shown. An increasing number of cases of the virus, H1NI, are being found with developing resistance to oseltamivir – trade name Tamiflu – which was stockpiled in large amounts by Governments, including the British Government, when it was feared the new swine flu mutation would irresistibly sweep the world.

Dr Aeron Hurt, of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza

First detected in Mexico, the 2009 virus was a new strain of H1N1 – itself responsible for the disastrous flu pandemic of 1918 – which combined with a Eurasian pig flu virus to become newly potent. The resultant pandemic struck over 74 countries, and although deaths were initially assessed by the World Health Organisation at 18,500, the WHO later admitted this was probably a gross underestimate. A 2012 medical study by the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases suggested that in fact it may have caused the deaths of up to 579,000 people.

Tamiflu, made by the giant Swiss pharmaceutical company, Hoffman-La Roche, was the main drug against the outbreak – but now Australian scientists are finding that it is encountering increased resistance. – For complete article see http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/virus-responsible-for-swine-flu-pandemic-becoming-increasingly-resistant-to-tamiflu-8539601.html

Mystery Horse Disease:

Global 03/18/13 nature.com: by Ed Yong – For almost 100 years, veterinarians have puzzled over the cause of Theiler disease, a mysterious type of equine hepatitis that is linked to blood products and causes liver failure in up to 90% of afflicted animals. A team of US scientists has now discovered that the disease is caused by a virus that shares just 35% of its amino acid sequences with its closest-known relative. The team named it Theiler disease-associated virus (TDAV), and published the discovery in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Amy Kistler

Led by Amy Kistler at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research in Emeryville, California, the team responded to an outbreak of Theiler disease at a farm in which eight horses had suddenly developed hepatitis after being injected with an antitoxin to prevent them from developing botulism. The researchers used next-generation sequencing to analyse RNA samples from the antitoxin and from two of the horses, and assembled the complete genome of the new virus. The virus was found in every one of the eight horses, as well as in the animal (from a different farm) that was the source of the contaminated antitoxin. – For complete article see http://www.nature.com/news/distinctive-virus-behind-mystery-horse-disease-1.12624

Salmonella:

Global 03/18/13 fda.gov: The Food and Drug Administration is giving consumers, especially reptile owners, tips on how to prevent Salmonella infection from handling feeder rodents and reptiles. Feeder rodents are mice and rats—both frozen and live—used to feed some reptiles, such as certain snakes and lizards, as well as some amphibians. People may become infected with Salmonella after handling feeder rodents, reptiles, or amphibians, surfaces that have been in contact with these animals, or the environment in which the animal lives. – For complete news release see http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm344344.htm?source=govdelivery

Follow-Up Report:

(See MARYLAND resident dies of RABIES posted 03/14/13, and Fatal HUMAN RABIES case in MARYLAND due to kidney transplant posted 03/17/13)

Maryland 03/17/13 foxnews.com: Public health agencies in five states are assessing the rabies risk for hundreds of people who may have had close contact with an infected organ donor and four transplant recipients, one of whom died, officials said Saturday. About 200 medical workers, relatives and others were assessed for potential exposure in Maryland, where the man who received an infected kidney died, state veterinarian Katherine Feldman said. She said fewer than two dozen were urged to get the rabies vaccine as a preventive measure. In Florida, about 90 people were identified as potentially exposed, and three were offered the rabies vaccine as of Friday, state health department spokeswoman Ashley Carr said.

Illinois Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said the only potential exposures there were people who worked with the patient or the transplanted organ. She said only the organ recipient is receiving rabies treatment. Health officials in Georgia and North Carolina are also involved in the epidemiological investigation prompted by the Maryland man’s death from rabies in late February, nearly 18 months after he got the kidney from a donor in Pensacola, Fla. However, officials in those states didn’t respond to requests from The Associated Press about the number of people they’re assessing.- For complete article see http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/17/hundreds-checked-for-rabies-after-transplant-death/

Celebrity GRAY WOLF OR-7 returns to OREGON ~ COYOTES killed in COLORADO after report of attack on 5-year-old BOY ~ MOUNTAIN LION killed in COLORADO after snatching and eating leashed PET ~ HORSE at Santa Anita Park in CALIFORNIA found with EQUINE HERPES VIRUS-1 ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: Fatal HUMAN RABIES case in MARYLAND due to kidney transplant ~ Other RABIES reports from CT, MO, TX, VA, & WV ~ ANNOUNCEMENT: International Symposia on ENTOMOLOGY

Gray wolf. Photo by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Oregon 03/13/13 dfw.state.or.us: Update – Wolf OR7 crossed the state border into southwest Klamath County, Ore. sometime yesterday evening. He first crossed into California on Dec. 28, 2011. ODFW does not post daily location information on OR7 or any GPS-collared wolf. Wolves throughout Oregon are protected by the state Endangered Species Act. West of Hwys 395-78-95, wolves are also protected by the federal ESA. OR7 may cross back into California and use areas in both states. ODFW will continue to monitor his location and coordinate with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Fish and Game. – More information here: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/wolf/ and http://californiagraywolf.wordpress.com/

Coyote Attacks:

Colorado 03/15/13 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. “When a coyote attacks and bites a human, the situation has to be addressed,” said Larry Rogstad, area wildlife manager for Boulder Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “From the patterns of behavior over the last month and a half and the recent bite, we felt these coyotes presented a risk to humans and, therefore, it was necessary to remove them. Thanks to a detailed report from the father, we are confident that we identified the same coyotes and that they were animals already known to resource officers from both organizations.” Both the city and wildlife officials will keep an eye on coyote activity in Boulder. Aggressive incidents towards humans should be reported to Boulder at 303-441-3333 or CPW at 303-291-7227.

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Colorado 03/15/13 gazette.com: by Ryan Maye Handy – A ravenous and bold mountain lion was captured and euthanized Wednesday, hours after it snatched and ate a leashed miniature Daschund that was on a walk with its owner. The big cat had been lurking in southwestern Colorado Springs neighborhoods since January before Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers set a trap Wednesday night and caught it. Hours earlier, around 7 a.m., a man was walking his dog in a park in the area when the mountain lion snatched the dog, yanking its leash out of the man’s hands, and fled with it. Earlier this month, rangers had tried to chase the mountain lion out of the neighborhood and back into the wilderness, said Michael Seraphin, a spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. – For complete article see http://www.gazette.com/articles/lion-152323-dog-mountain.html

Equine Herpes Virus-1:

California 03/15/13 harnesslink.com: Ontario Racing Commission officials have confirmed that a horse at Santa Anita Park has been diagnosed with Equine Herpes Virus-1. All horses from California being shipped into Woodbine Racetrack shall require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection dated within 24 hours prior to shipping. – For further details see http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=104282

Follow-Up Report:

(See MARYLAND resident dies of RABIES posted 03/14/13)

Maryland 03/14/13 washingtonpost.com: by David Brown – A Maryland man who two weeks ago became the state’s first fatal case of rabies in nearly 40 years contracted the infection from a kidney transplant, according to two people familiar with the case. Three people in other states received organs from the same donor, but their conditions were not immediately known. The recipient died at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington after being in the hospital for about a month, according to the people with knowledge of the case, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He had received a kidney from a Florida man in an operation at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2011. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared rabies virus obtained from the recipient and determined that it was genetically identical to the virus recovered from the organ’s donor, said the two people involved in the case. CDC officials were expected to announce some details of the case Friday. – For complete report see http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/maryland-rabies-case-came-from-kidney-transplant-sources-say/2013/03/14/4f47361e-8cf9-11e2-9f54-f3fdd70acad2_story.html

Other Rabies Reports:

Connecticut 03/14/13 Fairfield County: Health officials have confirmed that a raccoon picked up this week in the Hill Farm Road area of the City of Fairfield has tested positive for rabies. – See http://longisland.news12.com/news/rabies-infected-raccoon-captured-fairfield-health-dept-cautions-residents-1.4813007?firstfree=yes

Missouri 03/14/13 Cape Girardeau County: According to public health officials, a skunk captured in the northwest part of the county has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.semissourian.com/story/1949973.html

Texas 03/16/13 Tarrant County: A skunk reported to be displaying unusual behavior in the vicinity of Wedglea Drive in north Bedford has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.ntxe-news.com/artman/publish/article_82005.shtml

Virginia 03/14/13 Arlington County: A raccoon seen fighting with two dogs in the water at Glen Carlyn Park last weekend has tested positive for rabies. Anyone who may have had contact with a raccoon in the park in the past week should seek immediate medical attention. – See http://clarendon.patch.com/articles/county-possible-rabies-exposure-around-glen-carlyn-park

West Virginia 03/14/13 Mercer County: A raccoon that fought with a dog last week in the Princeton Avenue area of Bluefield has tested positive for rabies. The dog and a person who tried to intervene were both exposed to the virus. – See http://bdtonline.com/editorials/x2101728847/Human-exposure

~ ANNOUNCEMENT ~

Photo by Bugboy52.40. Wikimedia Commons.

The International Symposia on Entomology (ISE-2013), hosted by OMICS Group Conference, will be held in Orlando, Florida, September 4-6, 2013. The main theme of the conference is “Exploring the description of new species, geographical distribution, genome organization and diseases related to insects”. Exhibitor sponsors are welcome. For further details see http://www.omicsgroup.com/conferences/entomology-2013/cfa.php or e-mail johnross@omicsgroup.net

WOMAN in NEW YORK attacked by RABID GRAY FOX ~ CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE found in three of PENNSYLVANIA’s wild DEER for the first time ~ UTAH finds EQUINE HERPES VIRUS in fairground HORSES ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: Seven HORSES in FLORIDA now confirmed with EQUINE HERPES VIRUS ~ RABIES report from VIRGINIA.

Gray fox. Photo by New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

New York 03/01/13 Albany County: Health officials have issued a Rabies Alert in the Jefferson Avenue and Lansing Park area of Cohoes after it was reported that a woman was bitten by a gray fox on Friday morning. That morning a man in the same area reported being chased into his house by an aggressive fox. Later that day police shot a fox in the same vicinity and it tested positive for the virus. The police chief said both the animal involved in the biting incident and the one shot had a strong skunk odor so police believe they are one and the same animal, but they cannot be absolutely certain so the alert remains in force. – See http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Rabies-feared-in-Cohoes-fox-bite-4320475.php

Chronic Wasting Disease:

Pennsylvania 03/01/13 state.pa.us: News Release – The Pennsylvania Game Commission today confirmed three hunter-killed deer taken in the 2012 general firearms deer season have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Two were from Blair County; the other was from Bedford County. “These are the first positive cases of CWD in free-ranging deer in Pennsylvania,” confirmed Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “The disease was first documented in early October, 2012, by the state Department of Agriculture in a captive deer on an Adams County deer farm.” The three hunter-killed deer tissue samples were collected by Game Commission personnel during annual deer aging field checks during the general firearms season for deer. The samples were tested and identified as suspect positive by the Department of Agriculture as part of an ongoing annual statewide CWD surveillance program. The tissue samples were confirmed to be positive for CWD by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, as part of an established verification process. “The three CWD-positives were part of 2,945 deer sampled for the disease statewide,” explained Roe. “To date, we have received test results from 1,500 samples, including these three positive samples.  Results from the remaining samples should be available in the next few weeks.”- For complete release see http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=12775&PageID=648010&mode=2&contentid=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/marketingsites/game_commission/content/resources/newsreleases/newsrelease/articles/release__019_13.html

Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1):

Utah 02/27/13 sltrib.com: The Utah state veterinarian has issued several quarantines in Cache County following confirmation of two cases of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) and three other suspected cases. The outbreak is confined to Cache County, but horse owners throughout Utah are advised to take extra precautions when taking their animals to shows or public arenas. The Cache County Fairgrounds has closed its riding arena until further notice as it is believed that most of the horses had been at the facility within the past week. Two of the five horses have been euthanized because of their condition. The three other animals are under observation and quarantine. The virus is not transmissible to people. – For complete report see http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55914440-79/horses-cache-county-nose.html.csp

Follow-Up Report:

(See FLORIDA issues EQUINE HERPES VIRUS ALERT  posted 03/01/13)

Florida 03/01/13 abcnews.go.com: The number of horses confirmed with Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Florida now numbers seven, of which six have been linked to a horse show in Ocala. The seventh horse is stabled in Wellington. The virus is not known to be transmittable to humans.– See http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/equine-herpes-virus-horses-fla-18623001

Rabies:

Virginia 03/01/13 Henrico County: A raccoon found in the 1600 block of Forest Glen Road in northern Henrico has tested positive for rabies. Two vaccinated dogs that were in contact with the raccoon have been quarantined. – See http://wtvr.com/2013/03/01/henrico-rabies-alert-2/

CALIFORNIA scientists find new VIRUS causing fatal BRAIN CANCER in RACCOONS ~ ANNOUNCEMENT: WASHINGTON wildlife officials schedule public meetings to discuss GRAY WOLF recovery & management ~ IOWA reports rapid increase in domestic DEER with CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: MASSACHUSETTS BOBCAT had RABIES ~ Other RABIES reports from GA, & VA.

Raccoon kit. Photo courtesy National Park Service.

California 01/09/13 wired.com: by Brandon Keim – An outbreak of a previously unknown virus that causes fatal brain cancer in raccoons has been detected in northern California and southern Oregon. Tumors and the new virus were found in 10 raccoons autopsied between March 2010 and May 2012. Nothing like them had been seen before in raccoons, in which tumors are very rare. There’s no reason to think the virus could be contagious to humans. Its emergence does, however, raise fascinating questions about how it evolved and whether patterns of suburban development actually fueled its rise. “We need to understand how infectious pathogens are empowered by global changes,” said veterinary pathologist Patty Pesavento of the University of California, Davis, leader of the team studying the new disease, which was reported in the January issue of Emerging Infectious Disease. “If there’s a new niche, pathogens will find it.” Nine of the raccoons came from around Marin County, just north of San Francisco, and the 10th was sent from southern Oregon. The raccoons had been spotted wandering in daylight, approaching humans, falling unconscious and generally displaying signs of neurological distress. Tumors appeared to have formed in their olfactory tracts, spread to their frontal lobes and compressed their mid-brains (see picture below). Reviews of scientific literature and calls to veterinary pathologists across North America found no precedents.

Patty Pasavento, DVM

In each of the tumors, but not in brain tissue from raccoons tested for comparison, Pesavento’s team found an unknown form of polyomavirus, one of a group of viruses known to cause a rare form of skin cancer in humans and tumors in other animals, including mice and birds. Pesavento’s team called it raccoon polyomavirus. “The connection between the novel polyomavirus and these raccoon brain tumors is strong,” said disease ecologist Richard Ostfeld of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, who was not involved in the research. The exact virulence and contagiousness of the new virus is unknown, but there’s reason to think it’s high. Raccoons killed by the tumors accounted for more than one-fifth of all the raccoons Pesavento’s group autopsied between March 2010 and May 2012, and the cases they saw are likely the disease’s tip. Citation: “Novel Polyomavirus associated with Brain Tumors in Free-Ranging Raccoons, Western United States.” By Florante N. Dela Cruz, Federico Giannitti, Linlin Li, Leslie W. Woods, Luis Del Valle, Eric Delwart, and Patricia A. Pesavento. Emerging Infectious Disease, Vol. 19 No. 1, January 2013. – For complete article see http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/01/raccoon-cancer-outbreak/

Announcement:

Wolves:

Washington 01/07/13 wdfw.wa.gov: News Release – The recovery and management of gray wolves in Washington and other western states will be the topic of three public meetings this month hosted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). A panel of experts will discuss ongoing efforts to recover Washington’s gray wolf population, the latest information from population surveys in Washington and gray wolf management strategies used in other states.  “Wolves are a high-profile species that attract considerable public interest from people who often have opposing views,” said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. “This is a great opportunity for people interested in gray wolves to hear from experts about the recovery of the species throughout the West.” Keynote speakers include Mike Jimenez, Rocky Mountain wolf coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in Wyoming; Carter Niemeyer, retired wolf specialist with the USFWS and the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services; and Donny Martorello, WDFW carnivore section manager.  Lorna Smith, executive director of Western Wildlife Outreach, an independent wild carnivore education organization based in the state of Washington, will moderate the meetings. Each meeting will include an opportunity for the public to submit questions to the presenters about wolf recovery and management. The public meetings are scheduled for:

• Jan. 16 – Center Place Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, 6-8 p.m.
• Jan. 17 – Office Building #2, at 14th Ave. and Jefferson St., Olympia, 2:30-5 p.m.
• Jan. 18 – Magnuson Park’s Garden Room, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, 6-8 p.m.

For further details see http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jan0713a/

Chronic Wasting Disease:

Iowa 01/08/13 journalexpress.net : by Mark Newman – News of domesticated deer with chronic wasting disease may become more common. As for the wild deer population, scientists still want assistance. Last week, a third deer in Davis County was revealed to have chronic wasting disease. The state said Pine Ridge hunting preserve cooperated with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in putting up a fence-inside-a-fence to keep their deer from going nose-to-nose with wild deer. And whenever a client on their preserve successfully hunts a deer, that animal is given over to the DNR for testing. Chronic wasting disease causes deer to lose weight, to stumble around or to act extremely sleepy. It eventually results in death of the deer. DNR deer biologist Tom Litchfield told the Courier Monday there are other illnesses that mimic CWD, but any deer that show such symptoms are tested anyway. Scientists have said CWD is not a danger to humans, even those who eat deer meat — though they never recommend eating any infected meat. The initial positive sample was confirmed in July, submitted from a deer shot in December 2011. The second positive test was confirmed Dec. 12, 2012, from a deer harvested Dec. 1. The fear among state officials and nature enthusiasts is that an infected deer in a pen did or will give the disease to deer in the wilderness. The third sample came from a male deer harvested Dec. 15 at the Pine Ridge Hunting Preserve in Davis County. That brings the number of known infected deer in Iowa from zero six months ago to 13 as of this week. All are from enclosed hunting or breeding facilities. – For complete article see http://journalexpress.net/community-news-network/x1633446428/Chronic-wasting-disease-sees-fast-rise-in-Iowa

Follow-Up Report:

(See Likely RABID BOBCAT attacks MASSACHUSETTS MAN and his NEPHEW posted 01/08/13)

Massachusetts 01/09/13 telegram.com: A bobcat that attacked two people in Brookfield on January 6^th has tested positive for rabies. A third was exposed to the animal’s blood. All three had already begun receiving post-exposure rabies vaccinations. – See http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130109/NEWS/101099989/1116

Other Rabies Reports:

Georgia 01/08/13 Fannin County: Health officials confirm four people in Morgantown were exposed to a pet llama that has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/08/4-people-in-northwest-georgia-exposed-to-rabies-by-pet-llama/

Virginia 01/08/13 James City County: A skunk found in the Oakland Subdivision area of the county has tested positive for rabies. – See http://wtvr.com/2013/01/08/skunk-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-james-city-county/

COYOTES have PET owners in CANADA’s ALBERTA Province worried ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: COYOTE that bit FLORIDA woman had RABIES ~ NOVA SCOTIANs warned that TICKS carrying LYME DISEASE are endemic ~ MOUNTAIN LION reports from ID, IL, & TX ~ EEE & WNV reports from FL, LA, & NV.

Coyote. Courtesy National Park Service.

Canada:

Alberta 10/30/12 Edmonton: A coyote snatched a dog that was being walked by a woman Monday on the Highlands Golf Course just moments after another walker said a coyote had been stalking him and his dogs. The city plans to send a pest management consultant to investigate. – See http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2012/10/30/edmonton-coyote-attack-highlands.html

Follow-Up Report:

(See: RABIES reports posted October 26, 2012)

Florida 10/29/12 Brevard County: Health officials have confirmed the coyote that attacked and bit a woman in Malabar last week has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20121029/NEWS01/121029017/Coyote-attacked-Malabar-woman-tests-positive-rabies?nclick_check=1

Lyme Disease:

Canada:

Unfed, partially fed and fully engorged nymphs of the blacklegged tick. Note the change in size and colour. Department of Public Health photo.

Nova Scotia 10/26/12 Queens County: South Shore Health Public Health Services has recently notified residents in Mersey Point and neighboring communities that blacklegged ticks and the bacteria that causes Lyme disease are endemic in the Mersey Point area.  This means that blacklegged ticks are likely to continue to be present in the area. “Although the time of year when ticks are active is coming to an end soon, it is important for people to be mindful that when working or playing in grassy, shrubby and wooded areas they should prevent tick exposure,” says Lynda Earle, medical officer of health, South Shore Health . . .

Black-legged tick.

Although there are now six established areas of increased risk within Nova Scotia (Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Halifax and Pictou counties), ticks have been found throughout the province due to their travels on migrating birds. – See http://southshorehealth.ca/latest-news/presence-of-blacklegged-ticks-confirmed-in-mersey-point-area.html

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Idaho 10/29/12 Canyon County: Police in Nampa report that a man walking his dog in the vicinity of 11^th Avenue North and the Ridgecrest Golf Course said he saw a mountain lion following them. – See http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/10/29/2746933/nampa-police-investigate-cougar.html

Illinois 10/30/12 Morgan County: State wildlife officials confirmed Monday that a trail camera photo snapped in the county is that of a mountain lion. This is only the 4^th confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in the state since the 1870s. – See http://www.galesburg.com/news/x2053816422/Cougar-photographed-on-trail-in-central-Illinois

Texas 10/30/12 Kendall County: Residents in Bergheim say a mountain lion has “gone rogue” attacking four dogs recently, three of them fatally. Wildlife officials say they are assessing the situation. – See http://www.kens5.com/news/Mountain-lion-suspected-of-hunting-dogs-in-Bergheim-176500791.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):

Florida 10/30/12 Wakulla County: Health officials have issued an alert after confirming that more than one horse has tested positive for EEE in the county so far this year. – See http://www.wakulla.com/Wakulla_News/Local_News/Mosquito-Borne_Illness_Advisory_for_Wakulla_County_2012103014463/

Louisiana 10/26/12 dhh.louisiana.gov: Update – State health officials today confirmed 17 new human cases of WNV and one more death from the virus. There are five new neuroinvasive disease cases reported this week, with one each reported from Bossier, Calcasieu, Jefferson, Orleans and West Feliciana parishes. There are 11 new West Nile Fever cases, from Ascension (1), Beauregard (1), Caddo (2), Calcasieu (1), DeSoto (1), East Baton Rouge (4) and Lafourche (1). There was one new asymptomatic case reported this week, from Lafourche Parish. So far, there have been 338 cases and 13 deaths from the disease reported in the state this year. – See http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2675

Nevada 10/30/12 Clark County: Health officials have confirmed that a 29-year-old man in the county has been diagnosed with WNV. This is the 7^th human case of WNV in the county so far this year, including one death. The Southern Nevada Health District also reported WNV positive mosquito pools in several ZIP codes. – For details see http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/oct/30/health-district-reports-7th-west-nile-virus-case-a/

Three MASSACHUSETTS tots 2, 6, & 7 bitten by possibly RABID FOX ~ Two MOUNTAIN LION reports from CALIFORNIA ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: NEW YORK lab confirms Adirondacks HIKER contracted HANTAVIRUS.

Red fox. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Massachusetts 10/23/12 Hampden County: Earlier this week three children, ages 2, 6, & 7, who were playing outside their Eastwood Acres home in Westfield, were bitten by a sick-looking fox that ran off when the children’s mother hit it with a leaf blower. The children are being treated for potential exposure to rabies. – See http://www.wggb.com/2012/10/23/fox-attacks-children-in-westfield/

Mountain Lion Sightings:

California 10/23/12 Santa Clara County: Police officers in San Jose shot and killed a “sick” looking mountain lion that was trapped in the backyard of a residence at The Villages retirement community on Sunday. They said they were trying to force the animal to leave the complex when it charged at them. – See http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_21837380/san-jose-police-kill-mountain-lion-at-villages

California 10/23/12 Los Angeles County: A father who dropped his son off at the Rosemont Middle School in La Crescenta this morning says a mountain lion ran across the street in front of him at Glenwood and Franklin as he was leaving the school. – See http://lacanadaflintridge.patch.com/articles/mountain-lion-spotted-near-rosemont-middle-school#photo-11851166

Follow-Up Report:

(See: NEW YORK man camping in the ADIRONDACKS survives suspected case of HANTAVIRUS dated October 14, 2012)

Deer mouse. Courtesy National Park Service.

New York 10/22/12 health.ny.gov: News Release – The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has received laboratory confirmation of a hantavirus case in New York State. The individual confirmed to have contracted the virus, a Suffolk County man, has since recovered. The individual reports that on August 26, 2012 he was bitten by a rodent while camping in a lean-to shelter in the Adirondacks. According to the man, he did not experience symptoms until late September; he was hospitalized for nearly a week before recovering. The last reported case of hantavirus in the State occurred in Suffolk County in 2011. – For further details see http://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2012/2012-10-22_hantavirus.htm

Author’s Note: Various news sources have identified the individual as Michael Vaughan, 72, a mineral physics professor at Long Island’s Stony Brook University, who was camping near Mount Marcy when the incident occurred.

PENNSYLVANIA confirms first case of CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE on DEER farm ~ EEE & WNV reports from AZ, & FL ~ RABIES report from OREGON ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: COYOTE that attacked UTAH security guard tested negative for RABIES ~ TRAVEL WARNINGS: 14 new cases of MALARIA reported in GREECE.

Whitetailed Deer. Photo by ForestWander. Wikimedia Commons.

Pennsylvania 10/11/12 mcall.com: The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today confirmed the first positive case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the state on a deer farm in Adams County. The disease is fatal in deer, elk and moose, but there is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The World Health Organization. The positive sample was taken from a white-tailed deer at 1491 New Chester Rd., New Oxford, and tested as part of Pennsylvania’s intensive CWD monitoring efforts. The sample tissue was tested at the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg and verified at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. In addition to the Adams County location, the department has quarantined two farms directly associated with the positive deer at 6464 Jacks Hollow Rd., Williamsport, Lycoming County, and 61 Pickett Rd., Dover, York County. The quarantine prevents movement of animals on and off the premises. – For complete article see http://blogs.mcall.com/outdoors/2012/10/first-case-of-chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-confirmed-in-pennsylvania.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):

Arizona 10/11/12 Mohave County: Health officials have confirmed the first human case of WNV in the county so far this year in a Mohave Valley man in his 70s. – See http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2012/10/11/news/local/doc50766f70adfa3869294419.txt

Florida 10/11/12 Hernando County: Health officials announced Thursday that one of its sentinel chickens has tested positive for the EEE. The chicken is located in the northwest corner of the county, off Zebrafinch Ave. west of U.S. 19. The result means mosquitoes carrying the virus are present in the area. – See http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2012/10/11/hernando_chicken_tes.html

Rabies:

Oregon 10/10/12 Benton County: Health officials have confirmed that a bat tested positive for rabies. This is the third positive bat for rabies in the county this year. On Tuesday, Oct. 2, a woman working at a horse arena in the Philomath area scooped two bats out of a watering trough. One bat was dead and the other was alive but weak from the time in the water. Since the bats were scooped out barehanded, it was decided they should be tested for rabies. One of the bats was positive for rabies. The woman who had contact with the bat will be evaluated for receiving the post-exposure rabies vaccine. – See http://democratherald.com/news/local/third-benton-county-bat-tests-positive-for-rabies/article_20f57026-2ecb-57ee-91c6-484d6b9e9cdb.html?comment_form=true

Follow-Up Report:

(See “UTAH security guard staffing entry booth attacked by COYOTE” posted 10/10/12)

Utah 10/10/12 standard.net: Utah officials say test results are negative for rabies for a coyote that attacked a guard at a Kennecott Utah Copper site in Salt Lake City. Leslie McFarlane of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says the rabies test came back negative Wednesday, but a necropsy to determine any other signs of illness in the coyote is still pending. Results of the necropsy are expected sometime next week. – See http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/10/10/coyote-attack-called-strange
Travel Warnings:

Greece 10/11/12 cdc.gov: The CDC has received information that there have been 14 additional P. vivax malaria cases identified in Greece; four that are locally-acquired cases in Greek residents with no previous travel, and 10 cases in immigrants. Those 10 cases could have either been imported or acquired locally. Between Jan 1 and Oct 1, 2012, Greece has reported a total of 70 cases of malaria. Of those, 54 were caused by P. vivax (12 are locally acquired, 2 are relapses, and 40 occurred in immigrants). Those among immigrants from P. vivax-endemic countries could have either been imported or acquired locally. The immigrants reported being in Greece from as short as a few days before onset of symptoms to as long as 4 years before the onset of symptoms.

Three of the new cases occurred in areas where malaria had not been previously identified. (see map)  The first occurred in an agricultural setting in Selino, Xanthi. The second case was in a patient who travelled within Greece, and was believed to have become infected with malaria in Viotia. The third case occurred in a patient from Karditsa. The fourth new case had onset of symptoms at the end of Sep and is believed to have acquired the infection in Evrotas in the Laconia (southeastern Peloponnese) region. The agricultural area of Evrotas was the principal site of the 2011 P. vivax outbreak and was also where other locally-acquired were identified in Jun, Jul, and Aug of 2012. No new cases have been reported in Markopoulo and Marathon, two areas were cases had been identified during Jun through Aug.  No locally transmitted malaria cases have been reported in Athens.

Lone WOLF OR-7 at last report still in CALIFORNIA ~ WASHINGTON to kill pack of GRAY WOLVES ~ GEESE may have key to treating diseases from MALARIA to WEST NILE VIRUS ~ RABIES reports from FL, & MT ~ CDC REPORTS: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending September 15, 2012.

Gray wolf. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Follow-Up Report:

California 09/22/12 redbluffdailynews.com: by Julie Zeeb – The famous Oregonian that waltzed into California in December 2011 and has been border-hoping ever since is back in Tehama County. The gray wolf, known as OR-7, has mostly been in California the last few months, primarily in Plumas County, according to a California Department of Fish and Game blog dedicated to his comings and goings. The three-year-old wolf was last in Tehama County on July 31 and except for one day spent in Butte County has been in various areas of Plumas County, moving from the western area of the county into Tehama County on Sept. 19*. OR-7 is the first and only wolf to have been sighted in California since 1924, first visiting Tehama County for a few days on July 21.

*Author’s Note: According to the latest California Department of Fish & Game satellite reading, OR-7 was in eastern Tehama County on September 20, 2012.

Washington 09/21/12 seattletimes.com: by Shannon Dininny – Washington officials announced plans Friday to kill a pack of at least eight gray wolves that have been attacking livestock in the state’s northeast corner. The move is likely to anger some conservation groups and deal a setback to wolf recovery efforts, though state officials said the step was necessary for sustainable, long-term wolf recovery in the region. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said two teams were in the field Friday to try to kill members of the Wedge Pack, which ranges over a remote area of northern Stevens County. Marksmen would hunt the wolves from the ground, and if those efforts were unsuccessful, they might use helicopters to aid their hunt, Director Phil Anderson said in a statement. The pack is believed to have killed or injured at least 15 cattle from the Diamond M herd that grazes in a large area near the Canadian border, according to the statement. Those attacks have become increasingly more frequent since July, even after the agency killed a non-breeding member of the pack in August, and experts believe the wolves have become dependent on cattle for food. – For complete article see http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019227092_apwawashingtonwolves1stldwritethru.html

Research & Development:

Global 09/21/12 wdtn.com: by Neil Carlson – Sometimes we find the cure for disease where we’d least expect it. In this case, geese could hold the key to treating everything from malaria to rabies. It all started out as a research project to develop a serum to protect people from a pesky outdoor nuisance and the disease it can carry: the West Nile virus. Mosquitoes can pick up the virus from diseased birds and transfer it to humans. Researchers found that geese can rapidly produce the antibodies needed to create serums to treat people for West Nile disease.

But, what’s most amazing is that researchers found geese can be used to produce serums to treat all kinds of diseases. “And we have gone into researching its use of their antibodies for dengue fever, for pandemic influenza, malaria, rabies,” said Richard Glynn, researcher with Avianax. “We’re also working with a group on cancer.” Researchers introduce the dead virus of any given disease to a goose. The goose then quickly produces an antibody to that disease, which is extracted from its egg yolk and used to create the serum to treat that disease.

David Bradley, University of North Dakota

“What’s really exciting about this is the goose provides a platform and produces antibodies rapidly to a variety of viruses — probably toxins, maybe even cancers,” said medical student David Bradley. It’s all amazing, heady stuff that’s being reviewed by the FDA. Who knows? We may all find that one day geese are the answer to many of mankind’s medical problems. All of this still depends on approval for human use by the FDA. However, the government is interested in this research because it could be used to quickly develop vaccines for biological agents spread by terrorists.

Rabies:

Florida 09/21/12 Bay County: A raccoon killed at the intersection of N. 9^th Plaza and Lake Drive in Parker has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.wmbb.com/story/19605639/rabid-raccoon-found-in-parker

Montana 09/21/12 Gallatin County: A Bozeman family is looking for the owner of a border collie involved in a biting incident at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday at the East Gallatin Recreational Area. Walker VanHouten, 16, was running with the Bozeman Hawks cross-country team when a border collie bit him on his calf. VanHouten did not realize he should check with the owner for proof of rabies vaccination. VanHouten will have to go through rabies injections if the dog owner does not come forward by Tuesday. The dog owner should contact Kathleen VanHouten at 585-7944 or vanhoutens3@wispwest.net.

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending September 15, 2012:

Published September 21, 2012/ 61(37); ND-508-ND-521

Anaplasmosis . . . 23 . . . Florida, Maine (2), New York (15), North Carolina (4), Rhode Island,

Babesiosis . . . 8 . . . New York (8),

Brucellosis . . . 1 . . . California,     

Ehrlichiosis . . . 14 . . . Maine, North Carolina (11), Tennessee, Virginia,

Giardiasis . . . 218 . . . Alabama (2), Alaska (2), Arkansas (3), California (42), Delaware, Florida (22), Idaho (3), Iowa (3), Maine (8), Maryland (8), Michigan (3), Missouri (3), Montana, Nebraska (6), Nevada, New York (47), Ohio (19), Oregon (6), Pennsylvania (13), South Carolina (5), Vermont (7), Washington (9), Wisconsin, Virginia (3),

HME/HGE Undetermined . . . 1 . . . Indiana,

Lyme Disease . . .  156. . .  Florida (6), Maine, Maryland (18), Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey (2), New York (67), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (38), Rhode Island (3), Texas (2), Vermont (4), Virginia (10), Washington,

Q Fever (Acute) . . . 5 . . . Alaska, Nebraska (2), New York, Ohio, 

Rabies (Animal) . . . 49. . . Maine (2), Nevada (3), New York (16), Ohio, Texas, Utah (2), Vermont (2), Virginia (21), West Virginia,

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 1. . . Ohio,

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 42 . . . Alabama (3), Florida, Indiana (3), New York, North Carolina (18), Tennessee (9), Virginia (7),

Tularemia . . . 1 . . . Nebraska.

CDC update on WEST NILE VIRUS nationally ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: CALIFORNIA reports 9th Yosemite HANTAVIRUS case ~ MOUNTAIN LION report from COLORADO ~ EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS & WEST NILE VIRUS reports from MA, OK, RI, & WA ~ RABIES reports from CA, NY, RI, & TX.

West Nile virus (WNV) activity reported to ArboNET, by state, United States, 2012 (as of September 11, 2012). Courtesy of CDC.

National 09/11/12 cdc.gov: News Release – As of September 11, 2012, 48 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 2,636 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 118 deaths, have been reported to CDC. Of these, 1,405 (53%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 1,231 (47%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease. The 2,636 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the second week in September since 2003. Two thirds of the cases have been reported from six states (Texas, Louisiana, South Dakota, Mississippi, Michigan, and Oklahoma) and 40 percent of all cases have been reported from Texas.

Follow-Up Report:

(See “Two CALIFORNIA campers stricken with HANTAVIRUS, one is dead” posted 0817/12; “CALIFORNIA’s Yosemite Park officials confirm second HANTAVIRUS death” posted 08/29/12; “HANTAVIRUS cases linked to YOSEMITE now total six including two fatalities” posted 09/01/12; and “Third HANTAVIRUS death linked to YOSEMITE” posted 09/10/12.)

California 09/13/12 latimes.com: by Kate Mather – Another person was sickened by hantavirus traced to Yosemite National Park, the latest in an outbreak that has grown to nine cases and has killed three visitors since mid-June. The latest case, which sickened a California resident, is believed to have originated in one of Curry Village’s signature tent cabins in early July, park spokesman Scott Gediman said. A total of eight cases have been linked to the insulated signature tent cabins; the other to the High Sierra Loop that connects Yosemite Valley with Tuolumne Meadows and other areas. But the latest case differs from the others in that it was considered a “hantavirus infection,” officials said. Although very rare, some hantavirus cases don’t show the respiratory symptoms found in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, according to the California Department of Public Health. The eight other cases tied to Yosemite developed into the full-fledged hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The person with the hantavirus infection has since recovered, Gediman said. The park received confirmation of the case Thursday morning. – For complete article see http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/09/hantavirus-in-yosemite-9th-case-reported-as-another-visitor-sickened.html

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Colorado 09/13/12 Golden, Jefferson County: Several residents in the vicinity of Lookout Mountain Road have reported a mountain lion sighting or signs within the past week. A Parks and Wildlife spokesperson said the reports have been confirmed. – See http://www.ourcoloradonews.com/golden/news/mountain-lion-spotted-in-west-golden-neighborhood/article_a1817eee-fde3-11e1-a6a3-0019bb2963f4.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):

Massachusetts 09/13/12 mass.gov/eohhs: News Release – The 4^th human case of EEE in the state is a Plymouth County resident in his 60s who is hospitalized. Health officials also confirmed the 14^th human case of WNV in a Hampden County resident in his 50s who was hospitalized but has been released. – See http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/newsroom/press-releases/dph/new-human-cases-of-eee-and-wnv-announced.html

Oklahoma 09/13/12 newsok.com: A total of 133 confirmed human cases of WNV have been reported in the state so far this year, including 8 fatalities. This is the highest number of cases the state has seen since the virus entered the U.S. in 1999. – See http://newsok.com/west-nile-virus-cases-still-rising-in-people-horses-in-oklahoma/article/3709359

Rhode Island 09/13/12 Bristol & Newport counties: A mosquito trapped in Barrington on Sept. 5^th has tested positive for EEE. This is the 4^th EEE-positive mosquito trapped in the state this year. Three mosquitoes trapped in the state have also tested positive for WNV, and there has been one confirmed human case of WNV in Newport County: a man in his 50s who has recovered. – See http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/96f4f0b9bc414affaf6976f41e4ff176/RI–Mosquito-Viruses

Washington 091/13/12 doh.wa.gov: News Release – A Benton County woman is the second resident to be infected with WNV without leaving the state. The woman, in her 50s, was hospitalized. Another travel-related case has also been confirmed — a teenage boy who lives in Clark County. Test results were confirmed at the state’s Public Health Laboratories in Shoreline, bringing the total WNV human case count in the state this year to four. – See http://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/2012NewsReleases/12139WestNileVirusMoreHumanCases.aspx

Rabies:

California 09/12/12 Rubicon Bay, El Dorado County: Animal Services is searching for the owner of two German Shepherds that bit a 68-year-old woman while she was walking in Rubicon Bay, according to a Monday statement from the county. The incident happened about 4:45 p.m. Aug. 31. on Highland Drive when the dogs, off leash and running alongside their owner’s truck, approached the woman and bit her on her leg, according to the statement. The owner of the dogs stopped and allegedly provided incorrect contact information to the woman, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Animal Services officers are looking for the dogs’ owner to verify the dogs are current on their rabies vaccinations. Without this verification, the woman may need to have post-exposure rabies treatments, according to the statement. The county asks anyone with information to contact Animal Services at 530-573-7925.

New York 09/12/12 Batavia, Genesee County: The mother of a boy who was bit by a dog two days ago is getting nervous. Nobody has come forward yet as the owner of the dog, and no Good Samaritan has helped by identifying the dog and its owner. That leaves a week left to try and find the dog and determine whether it carries rabies. Without the confirmation, her boy will need to go through a painful round of rabies shots. After further discussions with the boy, more details are available on the man and his dogs. The man is described as about 6-feet tall, older and with a potbelly.  The dog that bit the boy is likely a mix breed. After looking through photos with her son, the mother does not believe the dog was a pit bull. Its face was droopier and had longer ears. The dog was brown and black and brindled (stripes). The owner was walking it with a harness (rather than a collar). The man was also walking a slightly smaller yellowish dog. The boy encountered the dogs on Vine Street near John Kennedy School. It’s likely the owner lives within a quarter mile of the school since that’s the neighborhood he was walking in. The man has not been seen in the neighborhood since. Anybody with information that may assist in locating the dog, please call Batavia PD at (585) 345-6350.

Rhode Island 09/12/12 Jamestown, Newport County: A stray kitten that had been adopted by a resident in the area of Highland Drive near Fort Wetherill state Park and then died has tested positive for rabies. Officials warn there is a colony of strays in the area the kitten came from and they are trying to determine if others were adopted. It is assumed they were all exposed to the virus and might all be infected. – See http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/south_county/jamestown-kitten-tests-positive-for-rabies

Texas 09/12/12 Abilene: City officials announced today that a skunk that was in contact with a dog on the city’s south side has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.reporternews.com/news/2012/sep/12/just-rabies-case-reported-abilene/