MICHIGAN DNR seeks help with Lower Peninsula WOLF survey ~ COLORADO confirms eight reports of MOUNTAIN LIONS attacking DOGS ~ RABIES reports from TX, & VA.

Gray wolf. Photo by Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Michigan 02/08/13 michigan.gov/dnr: The Department of Natural Resources will conduct a wolf track survey Feb. 11 through March 8 to detect the presence of gray wolves in the northern Lower Peninsula. “Given the low probability of observing an actual wolf or its tracks in the Lower Peninsula, it’s helpful to have as many eyes looking as possible,” said DNR wildlife biologist Jennifer Kleitch. “That’s why public reports are so important.” Sightings of wolves or tracks believed to have been made by a wolf, between Feb. 11 and March 8 can be reported to the Gaylord Operations Service Center at 989-732-3541, ext. 5901. Wolf observation reports can also be submitted online at www.dnr.state.mi.us/wildlife/pubs/wolf_obsreport.asp.

Wolves began naturally returning to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula via Canada and Wisconsin in the early 1990s. Since that time populations have increased and continue to expand their range. Evidence of range expansion into the Lower Peninsula came when a gray wolf was accidentally killed in Presque Isle County in 2004. Survey teams will respond to areas where there have been one or more observations. Priority will be placed on recent reports and those submitted during the survey period. “It’s important that observations are reported promptly so we can work with fresh evidence. If people find what they believe are wolf tracks, they should preserve the track, disturbing it as little as possible, or take a photo of the tracks with a ruler,” stated Kleitch. “If someone has a photo of a wolf in the Lower Peninsula, we’d certainly be interested in that as well.”

The DNR is partnering in this survey effort with USDA Wildlife Services, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. Information on wolves in Michigan and links to other wolf-related Web pages can be found at www.michigan.gov/wolves. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Mountain Lion Attacks on Pets:

Colorado 02/09/13 cbslocal.com: There has been a string of mountain lion attacks in the foothills. The attacks have all been centered around Evergreen, Kittredge and the Bailey area . . . A total of eight dogs have been attacked. “Having eight in the last two to three months is a little bit worrisome, especially for people who have small kids,” Luke McChesney with the Evergreen Animal Hospital said. From sun down to sun up, animal experts say to keep pets close . . . Colorado Parks and Wildlife says young mountain lions looking for easy prey can target small pets. Keeping pets inside or in a caged area can also keep them safe . . . They also say mountain lions are extremely unlikely to attack people — children or adults. – For complete article see http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/02/09/mountain-lion-attacks-on-the-rise-in-the-foothills/

Rabies:

Texas 02/08/13 Cameron County: by Allen Essex – The city of South Padre Island is working with the Texas Department of State Health Services to distribute vaccination bait that prevents coyotes that eat the material from contracting the canine form of rabies, city officials said in a statement. The bait was distributed Friday morning by city workers in areas of the city where coyotes normally travel, officials said. – See http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_c322e96c-726d-11e2-88d9-0019bb30f31a.html

Virginia 02/09/13 Smyth County: A raccoon found in the Grubmore Road area of the county has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.tricities.com/swvatoday/news/smyth_county/article_062085dc-7249-11e2-a6bb-001a4bcf6878.html

Likely RABID BOBCAT attacks MASSACHUSETTS MAN and his NEPHEW ~ Two WISCONSIN counties report first DEER with CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ~ RABID RACCOON from CALIFORNIA sails to HAWAII ~ Other RABIES reports from GA, NJ, PA, & TX.

Photo by Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Massachusetts 01/07/13 telegram.com: by Thomas Caywood – Brookfield – The last thing he heard before the bobcat‘s fangs and claws sank into his flesh was hissing. Roger D. Mundell Jr. had just stepped into his garage at 9 a.m. Sunday to retrieve some tie-down ratchet straps for a friend waiting in a car outside. At the time, he didn’t realize that the other door to the garage had been left open. He heard the hiss and barely had time to register what it meant. “In an instant it was on me. It jumped up and bit me above the eye, on my forehead. I have claw marks on the back of my shoulders, like it had me in bear hug,” Mr. Mundell recalled Sunday night. He was wearing a military winter field jacket, which he was able to shrug off over his head, dislodging the bobcat. Mr. Mundell said he dashed out of the garage and slammed the door behind him just in time to see the leaping feline hit the window in the door at full speed. But the bobcat got out through the other door. Mr. Mundell’s wife came out of the house to see what the commotion was about. They went to warn his 15-year-old nephew, who was outside helping prepare a trailer to be towed away, but the bobcat beat him there, Mr. Mundell said. “My forehead and face were bleeding like crazy already. I’m just in a T-shirt now, so my arms are exposed, and I have to go after this thing on my nephew. It scratched up my arms pretty good,” Mr. Mundell said.

Photo by Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Mr. Mundell said his wife got some metal crutches out of a car, which they used to try to pin the wild animal down. He shouted for his wife to go get a semi-automatic pistol from inside the house as the hissing bobcat struggled to free itself, he said. Mr. Mundell said he shot and killed the bobcat in his driveway. He estimated the animal weighed about 40 pounds, slightly smaller than the family dog, but strong and lightning fast in its attack. His nephew was bitten a couple of times on the forearm and back and had several scratches. Mr. Mundell had several deep puncture wounds from the bobcat’s fangs on his face and more than two dozen scratches all over him, he said. State Environmental Police took the bobcat’s body away to have it tested for rabies, but, given its behavior, Mr. Mundell and his nephew, as well as his wife, got the first of several rounds of rabies shots yesterday as a precaution. His wife has to be treated for rabies exposure, Mr. Mundell said, because he handed the blood-spattered gun to her to engage the safety latch. – See video, bobcat info and data, and complete article at http://www.telegram.com/article/20130107/NEWS/101079900/0/business
Chronic Wasting Disease:

Wisconsin 01/02/13 cwd-info.org: Two deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease, one each in Portage and Juneau counties, reports the state Department of Natural Resources. These are the first positives in wild deer populations for both counties.  “Any CWD positive in a new county is noteworthy, but neither of these positives was completely unexpected,” said Kris Belling, DNR regional wildlife program manager. “We’ve been performing surveillance in Juneau County due to the proximity of the CWD management zone boundary and we’ve been sampling in Portage County for 10 years after positives were discovered on a former game farm.” The two CWD-positive deer were harvested by gun hunters on Nov. 18 and sampled by DNR staff. The Portage County positive was a 1.5-year-old doe, harvested in deer management unit (DMU) 57A, close to the Mead Wildlife Area. The central Juneau County deer was a 4-to 5-year-old buck, harvested in deer management unit DMU 54B, less than two miles from the CWD management zone boundary. – For complete article see http://www.cwd-info.org/index.php/fuseaction/news.detail/ID/4ca2ee18fac6f21a75566238f3070048

Rabies:

HAWAII 01/04/13 sfgate.com: A raccoon that stowed away aboard a cargo ship from California has tested negative for rabies. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture announced the results Friday. Personnel from the shipping company Matson called the department earlier this week after seeing the animal scampering on the ship’s deck in Honolulu. Hawaii is the only rabies-free state, and raccoons are seen as a threat because they could introduce rabies here.

Georgia 01/03/13 Chatham County: A raccoon that was involved in a fight with a family’s dog on Isle of Hope has tested positive for rabies. – See http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2013-01-03/raccoon-tests-positive-rabies-chatham-county#.UOfUFndrRs9

New Jersey 01/04/13 Camden County: A young stray cat that was apparently ill and was found by a Gloucester Township family on their property has tested positive for rabies. The family rescued the kitten and attempted to nurse it back to health but it died the next night. The entire family was exposed to the kitten and is receiving preventive medical care. – See http://www.nj.com/south/index.ssf/2013/01/cat_tests_positive_for_rabies.html

Pennsylvania 01/07/13 Cape May County: A raccoon that was killed by a dog on December 22^nd in Middle Township’s Green Creek area has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Specimen-With-Rabies-Found-After-Dog-Kills-Raccoon-in-Middle-Township-185905012.html

Texas 01/07/13 Department of State Health Services: The Texas Department of State Health Services this week begins its annual airdrop of rabies vaccine baits over portions of southern and western Texas in the continuing effort to protect people and animals from rabies. Planes will take off from an airport in Del Rio around dawn Wednesday, Jan. 9 and from Alpine and Zapata Monday, Jan. 14. They will drop about 1 million doses of rabies vaccine over wild areas of Texas as part of the DSHS Oral Rabies Vaccination Program. – For complete News Release see https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/13c16dd1ee11ba2f

NEW YORK man camping in the ADIRONDACKS survives suspected case of HANTAVIRUS ~ MOUNTAIN LION report from COLORADO ~ COYOTE report from NEVADA ~ ST. LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS report from FLORIDA ~ EEE & WNV reports from IL, LA, NY, TX, & CANADA: ALBERTA ~ RABIES reports from FL, GA, MA, NJ, NCx2, TX, & VT ~ CDC REPORTS: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending October 6, 2012.

Deer mouse. Common carrier of Hantavirus. Courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture.

New York 10/13/12 timesunion.com: by Rick Karlin – The Long Island resident who contracted a suspected case of hantavirus after being bitten by a mouse in the Adirondacks in August believes the state Department of Environmental Conservation should consider trapping mice in the region to try to gauge how many rodents are carrying the illness. And “if it’s confirmed, they should really say something about it,” said Long Island’s Michael Vaughan on Friday during a telephone conference with his doctor at Stony Brook University Hospital, where he recovered from the virus last month. A geophysicist and researcher at SUNY Stony Brook, the 72-year-old was bitten by a mouse while camping in a High Peaks lean-to and became ill a month later. Vaughan and his doctor, Rekha Sivadas, cautioned that the hantavirus wasn’t officially confirmed: They’re still waiting for blood samples to come back from the federal Centers for Disease Control and state Health Department. But Sivadas said a sample they sent to a reputable private lab turned up positive for hantavirus, and Vaughan exhibited classic symptoms of the ailment.

While rare, hantavirus can become serious, attacking its victim’s respiratory system. Earlier in the summer, an outbreak of the virus in California’s Yosemite National Park infected nine people and killed three who caught it while staying in canvas-sided cabins. The virus is usually contracted by people when they inhale dust contaminated with rodent droppings. Transmission through a bite is highly unusual. – For complete article see http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Patient-Check-rodents-for-hantavirus-3944488.php

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Colorado 10/12/12 Montezuma County: State wildlife officers trapped and euthanized a mountain lion last week that killed five sheep off of County Road G in the McElmo Canyon area. A nearby resident said the lion was large enough to carry an 80-pound sheep. – See http://www.cortezjournal.com/article/20121013/NEWS01/710139929/Mountain-lion-kills-five-sheep

Coyote Attacks:

Nevada 10/13/12 Washoe County: A Spanish Springs resident witnessed her dog being killed by a coyote in her backyard on October 1, and when she approached the scene the coyote was large enough to clear a pair of six foot fences while holding the pet in its mouth. – See http://www.dailysparkstribune.com/view/full_story/20476975/article-Spreading-the-word

St. Louis Encephalitis:

Florida 10/12/12 Orange County: Health officials are alerting residents after a flock of sentinel chickens tested positive for St. Louis Encephalitis virus. Residents are urged to avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. – See http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-10-12/news/os-encephalitis-orange-county-20121012_1_encephalitis-virus-mosquito-bites-sentinel-chicken-flocks

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

Illinois 10/11/12 Woodford County: Health officials have confirmed that a dead crow found in Minonk on Oct. 2^nd has tested positive for WNV. – See http://www.pjstar.com/news/x2143895642/West-Nile-now-in-Woodford-County

Louisiana 10/12/12 dhh.louisiana.gov: Update – State health officials today confirmed 9 new human cases of WNV. Also, one death from WNV occurred this week. This year, 312 cases and 12 deaths from the disease have been reported. There are 5 new neuroinvasive disease cases reported this week, from Calcasieu (2), Iberia (1), Lafayette (1) and Orleans (1) parishes. There are 4 new West Nile Fever cases, from Ascension (2), Jefferson Davis (1) and Livingston (1) parishes. – See http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2667

New York 10/13/12 Schuylkill County: Health officials have confirmed that a horse stabled in the county has tested positive for WNV. – See http://republicanherald.com/news/west-nile-virus-detected-in-horse-in-schuylkill-county-1.1387439

Texas 10/11/12 Nueces County: Local health officials have confirmed that a woman in her 50s is the 7^th human case of WNV in the county so far this year. – See http://www.kiiitv.com/story/19799475/seventh-case-of-west-nile-confirmed-in-nueces-county

Canada:

Alberta 10/12/12 ctvnews.ca: An Alberta Health Services spokesperson said Friday that a death in a southern area of the province marks the first WNV-related fatality in the province since 2007. – See http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/one-dead-from-west-nile-virus-in-alberta-1.993627

Rabies:

Florida 10/12/12 Bay County: Local health officials issued a rabies alert on Friday for Callaway and Parker after a raccoon captured at the intersection of Lannie Rowe Drive and South Gay Avenue in Callaway tested positive for the virus. – See http://www.newsherald.com/news/health/rabies-alert-issued-for-callaway-and-parker-1.29059

Georgia 10/12/12 Houston County: A fox killed by a couple in Warner Robins on Thursday when the woman found the animal biting her 5-year-old child has tested positive for rabies. Police say the woman was also bitten. Police believe the same fox had earlier bitten another woman. – See http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Warner-Robins-police-investigate-fox-attacks-3943108.php

Massachusetts 10/12/12 Barnstable County: More than 24,000 oral rabies vaccination baits aimed at attracting raccoons and other wildlife will be distributed in selected areas from Barnstable through Orleans starting Monday, Oct. 15, officials from Wildlife Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week. – See http://www.wickedlocal.com/orleans/multimedia/video/x1826352572/Rabies-baits-spread-across-half-the-Cape#axzz29EpnxV52

New Jersey 10/11/12 Atlantic County: A raccoon found in the 100 block of Perry Lane in Egg Harbor Township on Oct 8^th has tested positive for rabies. Two vaccinated dogs that may have been in contact with the raccoon have been placed under quarantine. – See  http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/egg-harbor-twp/eht-events/30575-rabies-news.html

North Carolina 10/11/12 Guilford County: A raccoon found on West Friendly Avenue in Greensboro tested positive for rabies. One person and one dog may have been exposed to the virus. This is the 23^rd confirmed rabies case in the county so far this year. – See http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article/249519/57/23rd-Case-Of-Rabies-Confirmed-In-Guilford-County

North Carolina 10/11/12 Mecklenburg County: Health officials issued a rabies warning on Thursday after a dog found on Stem Court in the Holly Hills neighborhood of Mint Hill, zip code 28227, tested positive for the virus. – See http://www.wbtv.com/story/19796300/health-officials-warn

Texas 10/12/12 Coryell County: A raccoon that was displaying unusual behavior last week in the vicinity of the Robertson Avenue Baptist Church in Copperas Cove has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.kxxv.com/story/19807614/rabies-detected-in-wild-animals-in-copperas-cove

Vermont 10/13/12 Windham County: A Bellows Falls family is reportedly in good health after unofficially adopting a family of stray cats, one of which has died from a confirmed case of rabies. According to Dr. Bob Johnson, Vermont’s state health veterinarian, a mother cat and four kittens were found in the village and taken in by a kind-hearted family a little over a month ago. After four to six weeks, however, one of the kittens became ill and lethargic and a member of the family brought it to the Rockingham Veterinary Clinic in Chester. The feral kitten’s condition worsened and it died on Thursday. The cause of death was determined to be an open wound infected with rabies. – See http://www.reformer.com/ci_21763732/officials-confirm-case-rabies-bellows-falls?source=most_viewed

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending October 6, 2012:

Published October 12, 2012/ 61(40); ND-550-ND-564

Anaplasmosis . . . 3 . . . New York (2), Virginia,

Babesiosis . . . 1 . . . Maryland,

Brucellosis . . . 1 . . . California,    

Ehrlichiosis . . . 8 . . . New York (2), North Carolina (6),

Giardiasis . . . 126 . . . Alaska (3), Arkansas (2), California (17), Florida (26), Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine (4), Maryland (5), Michigan (2), Missouri (6), Nevada, New York (13), Ohio (13), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (6), Vermont, Virginia (3), Washington (14), West Virginia, Wisconsin (3),

Hansen Disease (Leprosy) . . . 2 . . . California, 

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

Lyme Disease . . .  151. . .  California (3), Florida (4), Maine, Maryland (16), Nevada, New York (53), Ohio, Pennsylvania (37), Vermont (2), Virginia (33),

Rabies (Animal) . . . 23. . . Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York (11), Oklahoma, Texas (7),

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 16 . . . Alabama (2), Florida, Maryland, North Carolina (4), Tennessee (4), Virginia (4).

EHD virus in ILLINOIS may have killed more than 2,000 DEER ~ CALIFORNIA confirms GROUND SQUIRREL positive for BUBONIC PLAGUE ~ Scientists say LYME DISEASE will continue to spread ~ MOUNTAIN LION report from IDAHO ~ COYOTE reports from CA, FL, & ILx2 ~ EEE/WNV report from CAx2, CO, FL, LA, & VT ~ RABIES reports from TN, TX, & VA ~ CDC REPORTS: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending September 29, 2012.

Whitetail Buck. Courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Illinois 10/05/12 dnr.illinois.gov: News Release – State officials today announced updated results of monitoring of deer mortality in the state attributed to Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD).  Since an earlier update on September 6, many Illinois citizens have taken the time to make reports of sick, dead, and/or dying animals throughout the state. The IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources thanks those individuals who have taken time to provide information on EHD-probable deer mortality in the state. As of September 30, there were 2,043 deer reported as probable EHD deaths, with reports from 76 counties.  The highest numbers were reported from Cook (326); Calhoun (181); Coles (138); Macon and Shelby (121). Hunters taking to the field in Illinois for archery deer hunting and the Oct. 6-7 Illinois Youth Firearm Deer Hunt need not be concerned about eating venison from animals that may have contracted EHD and survived.  EHD has no impact on humans, pets, or livestock. – For complete news release and county maps see http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/news/Pages/EpizooticHemorrhagicDisease%28EHD%29IllinoisUpdate.aspx

Bubonic Plague:

Ground squirrel. Courtesy National Park Service.

California 10/05/12 inlandnewstoday.com: For the first time in nearly a decade, bubonic plague has been confirmed in Riverside County.  State health officials said Thursday that a ground squirrel tested positive. It was found during routine testing at the Fern Basin campground in the San Jacinto Mountains north of Idyllwild. It’s an area where similar findings were an annual occurrence in the 1990’s. Bubonic plague is a bacterial disease that can be transmitted from wild rodents to humans through bites from infected fleas. Campers are being warned to stay away from squirrels and other wild animals.

Lyme Disease:

National 10/05/12 petsandparasites.org: by Dr. Chris Carpenter – The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) 2012 Fall Lyme Disease Forecast calls for increased risk in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region, the upper Midwest, the Southeastern United States and all along the West Coast. The disease incidence is steadily spreading southward, even into some areas traditionally free or with low incidence of Lyme disease such as the Midwest and parts of the Southeast. The Northeast continues as the most Lyme endemic region of the country. – For complete article see http://www.petsandparasites.org/about-capc/

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Idaho 10/05/12 Ada County: A Boise police bicycle officer saw a mountain lion at about 9:30 a.m. Friday, according to a release from the police department. The cat was spotted beyond 31st and Pleasanton streets in a remote gravel area. The animal fled the area, and officers were unable to locate it. Police are consulting with Idaho Fish & Game officials. The Friday morning sighting was the fifth since Wednesday. – See http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/10/05/2718042/cougar-sighting-friday-morning.html

Coyote Attacks:

California 10/05/12 Orange County: A Tustin family says their small dog was fatally injured by a coyote in their Laurelwood neighborhood front yard last month. So far this year, local police have reported 13 coyote sightings near Bryan Avenue and Jamboree Road, about 2 miles from Laurelwood. – See http://www.ocregister.com/news/coyote-373645-coyotes-residents.html

Florida 10/05/12 Orange County: Residents in Dr. Phillips are petitioning to have coyotes removed after several family pets were killed. They say sightings occur on a daily basis and their afraid to allow pets, or even small children, out of their sight. – See http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2012/10/5/neighbors_start_peti.html

Illinois 10/05/12 DuPage County: Local police report two small dogs survived a coyote attack on September 27^th in the 2000 block of Stonebridge Court in Wheaton. One dog was treated for four bites on the neck and face. – See http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/dogs-survive-coyote-attack-in-wheaton

Illinois 10/05/12 DuPage County: A Winfield family says their dog, a Yorkshire terrier, was fatally injured by a coyote in their yard adjacent to the Illinois Prairie Path on Wednesday. – See http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8837288

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

California 10/06/12 Shasta County: Health officials have confirmed the county’s first human case of WNV this year. This person is the 217^th human case of WNV in the state this year. – See http://anewscafe.com/2012/10/06/first-human-west-nile-virus-infection-of-2012-identified-in-shasta-county/

California 10/05/12 Merced County: Health officials confirm that a 26-year-old woman from Gustine has presented the first human case of WNV in the city this year. – See http://www.westsideconnect.com/2012/10/05/human-case-of-west-nile-in-gustine-2/

Colorado 10/05/12 Pueblo County: Health officials have confirmed one human case of WNV in the city of Pueblo, and suspects another. – See http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/puebloan-contracts-west-nile-virus/article_5bb26fc6-0f46-11e2-b001-001a4bcf887a.html

Florida 10/05/12 Jackson County: Health officials have reported a human case of WNV in the county, and a horse stabled on Sellers Road between Malone and Campbellton has tested positive for EEE. – See http://www2.jcfloridan.com/news/2012/oct/05/west-nile-eee-reported-jackson-county-ar-4693739/

Louisiana 10/05/12 dhh.louisiana.gov: Update – State health officials have confirmed 25 new human cases of WNV, but not new deaths occurred this week. So far this year, 305 human cases of WNV have been reported, including 11 WNV-related deaths. – See http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2651

Vermont 10/06/12 Essex County: Health officials have confirmed that a second person in the state has been infected with WNV and is recovering. – See http://www.reformer.com/latestnews/ci_21711420/second-case-west-nile-identified-vermont

Rabies:

Tennessee 10/05/12 tnpublichealth: State health officials are currently distributing oral rabies vaccine packets in eight northeast counties to prevent the spread of rabies in raccoons. The air drops began Tuesday and will continue through Oct. 12^th.

Texas 10/05/12 Wichita County: Two skunks found near Wichita Falls, one southwest of the city and the other southeast, have tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2012/oct/05/skunks-near-city-positive-rabies/

Virginia 10/04/12 Virginia Beach: A fox that attacked four people on Border Way off Salem Road has tested positive for rabies. – See video report at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjTzOY28pqg

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending September 29, 2012:

Published October 5, 2012/ 61(39); ND-536-ND-549

Anaplasmosis . . . 1 . . . New York,

Babesiosis . . . 4 . . . California, New York (3),

Brucellosis . . . 2 . . . California (2),    

Ehrlichiosis . . . 8 . . . North Carolina (7), Tennessee,

Giardiasis . . . 167 . . . Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas (5), California (20), Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho (2), Iowa (3), Maine, Maryland (5), Massachusetts (7), Michigan (4), Missouri (7), Nebraska (5), New York (55), Ohio (21), Oregon (4), Pennsylvania (6), Vermont, Virginia, Washington (15), Wisconsin,

Lyme Disease . . .  161. . .  California, Delaware (4), Maine (3), Maryland (25), New Hampshire, New York (72), North Carolina (11), Pennsylvania (32), Vermont (5), Virginia (7),

Q Fever (Acute) . . . 2 . . . North Carolina (2), 

Rabies (Animal) . . . 46. . . Idaho (5), Kansas (2), Missouri, New Hampshire, New York (8), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (6), Rhode Island, Vermont (2), Virginia (17),

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 2. . . Maryland, Missouri, 

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 43 . . . Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana (2), Kentucky (3), Missouri (2), North Carolina (21), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee (8), Virginia (3),

Tularemia . . . 1 . . . Missouri.

RHODE ISLAND WOMAN bitten by FISHER ~ Other RABIES reports from AL, NJ, PA, & VA ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from NV, OH, & TX.

Fisher. Photo by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Rhode Island 10/01/12 turnto10.com: A Lincoln (Providence County) woman has been hospitalized after being attacked and bitten by a fisher while walking her dog in her yard. Tracey Chartier was attacked Wednesday by the animal, which is typically found in the northern parts of the U.S. and Canada, and commonly referred to as fisher cats. Chartier said she was barefoot and kicked it, and said the animal bit, scratched and mangled her feet. “The claws were very, very long,” she said. She said the claws of the fisher impaled the skin in her foot and went so deep, she’s being treated for an infection at Rhode Island Hospital. She’s also being treated for rabies as a precaution. “Everybody said you know, ‘You should have done this, you should have done that. You know, you should have ran.’ But no matter what I did, I would have got attacked or my dog would have got attacked,” Chartier said. Chartier said the family remains a little afraid to step outside into the back yard. “I’m a nervous wreck to go in the back yard. My husband’s a nervous wreck to go in the back yard. The kids, you know, I don’t know what’s there or what’s going to come out,” she said.

Other Rabies Reports:

Alabama 10/01/12 wsfa.com: A Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture says helicopters will be used to drop rabies vaccine packets in part of the River Region this week. City of Prattville officials were informed Monday morning that the USDA/APHIS will be using helicopters to drop packets of rabies vaccine over parts of Elmore and Autauga counties in the Prattville area this week as part of the National Rabies Management Program to fight the spread of the virus. USDA/APHIS Wildlife Biologist Dana Johnson told officials that the virus is an issue predominately with the raccoon population, but it has also been known to be found in the fox population. Johnson explained the air-dropped vaccine will be wrapped in fish meal. Animals will be attracted to the fish meal, when they bite into it, they will break the pouches that contain the vaccine. According to the USDA website, 81,000 baits are expected to be released in and around the Prattville area This oral vaccine isn’t dangerous to pets if they ingest it, however, if you come into contact with the baits, just move the baits to a wooded area and make sure to wash your hands afterwards. If you see wildlife that seems sick or is acting abnormally, contact Johnson at 334-844-8029. Any wild animal that allows you to approach it should raise an alarm. For more information, see the full release on the City of Prattville’s website.

New Jersey 10/02/12 Camden County: A skunk that fought with a dog in the Cedarbrook section of Winslow Township on September 26^th has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/health/Rabid-Skunk-in-Winslow-Township-Rabies-Tips-172339221.html

Pennsylvania 10/01/12 Bucks County: by Bob Keeler – Getting six stitches in his face wasn’t the end of the medical treatment needed for a 1-year-old boy who was bitten by a dog Sept. 15 in West Rockhill’s James Memorial Park. “He actually had to go back in the hospital due to an infection,” Pennridge Regional police Chief David Mettin said at the Sept. 26 Pennridge Regional Police Commission meeting. The child will also likely need to be treated to avoid the possibility of rabies, he said. “Unfortunately, I think he’s probably going to have to get the shots,” Mettin said, “and that’s because we haven’t found the dog. The dog, described as black and medium sized, came from a wooded area near the baseball field, not from the dog park, police said. The dog lunged at the child and bit his face, then fled after the child’s father kicked the dog, police said. Anyone with information on the incident or a stray dog in the area is asked to call the police at 215-257-5104.

Virginia 10/02/12 Henrico County: A skunk that attacked a dog on Armstead Circle in Sandston on September 28^th has tested positive for rabies. – See http://wtvr.com/2012/10/02/henrico-rabies/

West Nile Virus (WNV):

Nevada 10/02/12 southernnevadahealthdistrict.org: News Release – Health officials have confirmed four additional human cases of WNV. The patients, a 25-year-old woman with the more serious neuroinvasive form of the illness; a 52-year-old man with the less serious form of the illness; a 68-year-old woman and a 64-year old man, both with the more serious neuroinvasive form the illness and both of whom are hospitalized. The health district reported its first 2012 case in September in a 75-year-old woman. That patient, who was hospitalized, has since died; she is the fourth WNV-related death in Clark County since 2003. This brings the number of 2012 WNV cases in Clark County to five. – See http://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/news12/100212.php

Ohio 10/01/12 Clark County: Health officials have confirmed that WNV was a contributing factor in the death of an 84-year-old county man. This is the state’s 4^th WNV fatality. Statewide, there are 97 probable human cases of WNV. – See http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/lifestyles/health/first-west-nile-related-death-reported-in-area/nSQ8L/

Texas 10/02/12 Bexar County: A Metropolitan Health District spokesperson has confirmed the official count of human cases of WNV in the county has risen to 26. The number of WNV-related fatalities remains at 2. – See http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/West-Nile-cases-in-Bexar-hit-26-3910719.php

FLORIDA scientist finds SNAKES harboring EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS ~ EEE & WNV reports from MN, NV, & RI ~ RABIES reports from NJ, & TN.

Water Moccasin. Photo by Ltshears. Wikimedia Commons.

National 10/01/12 nbcnews.com: by Maggie Fox – (Excerpts) “Snakes may provide a winter hiding place for a virus that’s causing an unusually severe outbreak in the U.S. northeast this year, and this could be good news for control efforts, researchers said on Monday. They found eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE for short) in cottonmouths and copperhead snakes and said it’s likely the reptiles incubate the virus while they hibernate over the winter. When they come out in spring, mosquitoes feast on the snakes and then pass it to birds.

The study, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, explains why EEE keeps coming back in northern states where mosquitoes hunker down for the winter and where many birds take off for warmer climes. “There must be a way that the virus manages to overwinter. We think it’s the snakes, because they do overwinter in these sites,” said Dr. Thomas Unnasch of the University of South Florida, who led the study.”

Dr. Thomas Unnasch.

“Tests on cottonmouths in the Tuskeegee National Forest in Alabama confirmed a fairly high percentage were infected with EEE, as well as at least one copperhead. It doesn’t make the snakes sick and they seem to stay actively infected for months on end, Unnasch said. So when it gets cold up north and the migrating birds leave, the snakes are still infected with EEE and they hibernate. In the spring, newly hatched mosquitoes feed on the snakes and get infected. “They act as the Typhoid Mary of the virus,” Unnasch said. Copperheads are related to rattlesnakes and there are plenty of both in the north, Unnasch noted.”

Northern Copperhead. Photo by Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

“Is there a lesson here for West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne infection that’s causing an unusual amount of trouble this year? CDC reports 3,545 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 147 deaths. Unfortunately not, says Unnasch — West Nile is not related to EEE and while it passes from birds to mosquitoes to people, it has a different cycle of infection.” – For complete NBC News article by Maggie Fox see http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/01/14172867-snakes-may-harbor-deadly-virus?lite

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

Minnesota 10/01/12 dglobe.com: Four more human cases of WNV have been reported this past week. So far this year 65 human cases and one death have been attributed to the mosquito-borne virus in the state. – See http://www.dglobe.com/event/apArticle/id/DA1KVEKO2/

Nevada 09/28/12 Washoe County: Health officials report that a 6-year-old feral horse in Reno was put down after testing positive for WNV. This is the first animal or human case of the virus in the county this year, but two human cases have been reported elsewhere in the state, one each in Clark and Churchill counties. – See http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Horse-in-Washoe-County-Positive-for-West-Nile-171765551.html

Rhode Island 10/01/12 Newport County: A batch of mosquitoes captured in Tiverton has tested positive for EEE. – See http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode-island/2012/10/01/eee-found-mosquitoes-west-nile-detected/y9C728lONohFY8qOJT9kTI/story.html

Rabies:

New Jersey 09/30/12 Hudson County: Health officials have confirmed that a sick raccoon reported just blocks from Franklin School in North Bergen on September 12^th has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/20308415/article-Rabid-raccoon-caught-blocks-from-school-Creature%E2%80%99s-bite-could-have-killed-children-passing-by-?instance=north_bergen_story_left_column

Tennessee 09/29/12 theleafchronicle.com: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin distributing an oral rabies vaccine for wild raccoons in selected areas of the southeast, including 15 counties in East Tennessee. – See http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20120929/SPORTS/309290033/Outdoors-notebook?nclick_check=1

CDC warns more WEST NILE VIRUS cases NATIONALLY than ever before reported ~ CALIFORNIA confirms BUBONIC PLAGUE in SQUIRRELS on Palomar Mountain ~ MOUNTAIN LION reports from CA, MN, & NEx2 ~ EASTERN EQUINE ENCHEPHALITIS, WEST NILE VIRUS, AND ST. LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS reports from CAx2, FLx2, IL, IN, MAx2, NH, OH, OK, & WI ~ RABIES reports from CA, CT, IL, NH, NJx3, NY, NC, & USDA.

National 08/21/12 cdc.gov: West Nile Virus Update – Thus far in 2012, 47 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 1118 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 41 deaths, have been reported to CDC. Of these, 629 (56%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 489 (44%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease.

The 1118 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the third week in August since West Nile virus was first detected in the United States in 1999. Approximately 75 percent of the cases have been reported from 5 states (Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma) and almost half of all cases have been reported from Texas.

California 08/21/12 nctimes.com: by Brandon Lowrey – Three ground squirrels found at Palomar Mountain campgrounds have tested positive for plague, a deadly bacterial infection that wiped out millions of people in the Middle Ages, San Diego County officials said Wednesday. Plague infections are now rare among humans, but at least a few squirrels in higher elevations around Palomar Mountain or Julian are found during routine testing each year, said Chris Conlan, supervising vector ecologist for the San Diego County Vector Control program. The county posts plague warning signs in areas where the disease is found, officials said. There has never been a recorded human plague infection in San Diego County, although there have been several in California, officials said. Fewer than 100 cases were reported over the last decade in the U.S., mostly in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two of the infected squirrels found recently were in the Cedar Grove Campground, according to a county statement. The third was trapped at the Doane Campground. – For complete article see http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/health-bubonic-plague-found-in-squirrels-on-palomar-mountain/article_4f77f1d3-002c-59ad-9ace-9eb5bff9d545.html

Mountain Lion Sightings:

California 08/21/12 Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County: Another mountain lion sighting occurred recently on El Acebo Del Norte according to Patrol Chief Matt Wellhouser. A homeowner reported that he saw a large mountain lion in his backyard  on Aug. 20, Wellhouser said. The cat walked slowly through the yard until it saw the homeowner and started toward him slowly.  The homeowner stayed in his home and the cat walked away growling, according to Wellhouser. – See http://www.ranchosantafereview.com/2012/08/22/another-mountain-lion-spotted-in-rancho-santa-fe-3/

Minnesota 08/21/12 Aitkin, Aitkin County: A horse owner whose 900-pound mare was attacked by a mountain lionor cougar wants other animal owners in Aitkin County to be on the lookout for the big cats. Lori Hart’s quarter horse

Courtesy National Park Service.

Molly was mauled last week on her property north of Aitkin. Hart says the wild animal took a “big chunk” out of the horse’s hind quarters. Hart says a Pierz veterinarian confirmed Molly was attacked by a mountain lion or cougar and that there was a similar attack on a calf less than a month ago.

Nebraska 08/20/12 Kimball, Kimball County: A mountain lion seen lounging in a tree in the 1000 block of East Third Street was tranquilized and removed by local and state authorities using a bucket truck. – See http://www.theindependent.com/news/state/mountain-lion-startles-kimball-residents/article_1901c07e-eaf6-11e1-8d46-0019bb2963f4.html

Nebraska 08/22/12 Sidney, Cheyenne County: County Sheriff John Jenson says a mountain lion was reported near town on Tuesday and deputies confirmed seeing mountain lion tracks. Deputies also checked into reports two-to-three weeks ago of mountain lion sightings south of Lodgepole and Sheriff Jenson is becoming more concerned with how close the animals are getting to Sidney. – See http://nebraskaradionetwork.com/2012/08/22/cougar-spotted-near-sidney-residents-urged-to-keep-distance/

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

California 08/20/12 Ventura County: Health officials report that a woman in her early 50s who was hospitalized represents the first human case of WNV in the county since 2007. So far this year, 26 human cases have been reported in the state. – See http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/aug/20/woman-is-first-reported-case-of-west-nile-virus/

California 08/22/12 Fresno County: Health officials confirm that an elderly woman is the first person in the county this year to die of complications associated with WNV. It is the second WNV related fatality in the state this year. – See http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/22/4748406/west-nile-virus-kills-elderly.html

Florida 08/20/12 Duval County: Health officials confirm the number of WNV human cases has increased to 11. The two most recent cases involve a 63-year-old woman, and an 84-year-old man. – See http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/269474/10/Duval-Countys-West-Nile-total-rises-to-11

Florida 08/21/12 Bay County: Sentinel chickens have tested positive for WNV, EEE and St. Louis Encephalitis prompting health officials to place the county under a mosquito-borne illness advisory, joining Washington, Walton and Holmes Counties. – See http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Mosquito-Borne-Illness-Advisory-Now-in-Bay-County-166946106.html

Illinois 08/19/12 Lombard, DuPage County: Health officials report that longtime village president, William Mueller, 76, has died of complications associated with WNV. – See http://newyork.newsday.com/news/health/west-nile-virus-claims-life-of-illinois-official-1.3913754

Indiana 08/22/12 Allen County: Health officials have confirmed the first human case of WNV in the county reported this year. – See http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/West-Nile-Virus-Knocking-at-Allen-Countys-Door-167034405.html

Massachusetts 08/21/12 Hamilton, Essex County: Town officials confirm that mosquitoes trapped in the area have tested positive for EEE and parts of the town will be sprayed. – See http://www.salemnews.com/local/x2103325624/EEE-mosquito-found-in-Hamilton-town-to-spray

Massachusetts 08/21/12 Plymouth County: Health officials say they have found mammal-biting mosquitoes infected with EEE in the communities of Carver and Kingston. The EEE threat level has been raised to “high” in Carver and ‘moderate” in Kingston. They say the threat in (the town of) Plymouth, which borders both towns, has also been raised to “moderate”.

New Hampshire 08/19/12 Londonderry, Rockingham County: Mosquitoes trapped near the city have tested positive for WNV. – See http://www.londonderrynh.net/2012/08/west-nile-found-in-londonderry/54180

New Hampshire 08/22/12 dhhs.nh.gov: News Release – Health officials have confirmed the first human case of WNV in the state this year in the city of Manchester. The individual, an adult, has recovered. – See https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/1394ff445055e4f3

Ohio 08/21/12 Columbus, Franklin County: Health officials say a 25-year-old woman is the first to contract WNV in the county. Her case brings the state total to 16 so far this year. – See http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/08/21/case-of-west-nile-virus-found-in-franklin-county.html

A female Aedes albopictus mosquito. West Nile Virus vector. CDC

Oklahoma 08/22/12 sfgate.com: WNV Update – The number of (human) cases rose from 61 on Thursday to 65 on Tuesday, the two days each week that the department reports West Nile activity. . . The department said 44 of the 65 cases have been the neuro-invasive form, the most severe form, which causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord and can lead to mental confusion, disorientation, blindness, paralysis and death. – See http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Oklahoma-West-Nile-virus-cases-rise-by-4-3804485.php

Wisconsin 08/22/12 northcentral: The state veterinarian is warning horse owners to get their animals vaccinated after blood samples from a horse in Clark County and another in Lincoln County were positive for EEE. – See http://host.madison.com/news/state_and_regional/state-warns-owners-to-vaccinate-horses-after-positive-encephalitis-tests/article_b2616040-ec62-11e1-b29e-0019bb2963f4.html?comment_form=true

Rabies:

California 08/17/12 Point Arena, Mendocino County: According to a woman who attended a yoga retreat at Oz Farms two weekends ago, she and six others are receiving rabies shots following potential exposure to the virus from bats. – See http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120817/ARTICLES/120819563

Connecticut 08/21/12 Fairfield, Fairfield County: Animal control officers are looking for the owner of a Great Dane that reportedly bit a woman near Southport Beach on Friday. The officers are trying to determine the dog’s vaccine history to eliminate further post-exposure rabies shots for the complainant. According to the report from Animal Control, the woman was walking near the beach Friday when the tan (fawn) Great Dane lunged toward her. The dog was being walked by a thin black male. The woman did not realize she had been bitten at the time, and she and the man walking the dog parted ways. The woman told Animal Control she believes the man and dog walked away toward Sasco Creek Road in Westport. The woman saw when she arrived home that she had been bitten on the leg and reported the bite to Animal Control. She was examined by her physician on Monday and began a series of post-exposure rabies shots as a precaution. Fairfield Animal Control and Westport Police have not yet tracked down the tan Great Dane or its owner. Anyone with information on the Great Dane should call Fairfield Animal Control at 203-254-4857.

Illinois 08/21/12 St. Charles, Kane County: A bat discovered inside a home earlier this week has tested positive for rabies. – See http://geneva.patch.com/articles/bat-found-in-st-charles-tests-positive-for-rabies

New Jersey 08/18/12 Gloucester, Camden County: A bat killed inside a home this week has tested positive for rabies. Family members sleeping in the home have been advised to seek medical advice. – See http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20120818/NEWS01/208180305/Officials-Bat-found-Gloucester-Township-home-had-rabies

New Jersey 08/20/12 North Brunswick, Middlesex County: A bat found inside a home in the area of Masoma Road and Axel Avenue has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2012/08/rabid_bat_found_in_north_bruns.html

New Jersey 08/21/12 Pittsgrove, Salem County: A skunk that fought with two vaccinated dogs on August 5^th has tested positive for rabies. The dogs’ owner was also potentially exposed to the virus while cleaning blood from the dogs. The dogs were given booster shots, and their owner was advised to seek medical advice. – See http://www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2012/08/rabid_skunk_found_in_pittsgrov.html

New York 08/17/12 Rhinebeck, Dutchess County: A bat found inside a home has tested positive for rabies. This is the first confirmed case of the virus in the county this year. – See http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20120818/NEWS01/308180022/Bat-captured-Rhinebeck-tests-positive-rabies-1st-case-Dutchess-County-year

North Carolina 08/21/12 New Hanover County: A fox that fought with a dog Monday on Antoinette Drive near Monkey Junction has tested positive for rabies. This is the 13^th confirmed case of the virus in the county so far this year. – See http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120821/ARTICLES/120829925?Title=Another-rabies-case-in-New-Hanover

ONRABA. Courtesy USDA.

US Department of Agriculture 08/13/12 usda.gov: News Release – A second U.S. field trial of a vaccine to control rabies in raccoons, skunks, and other wildlife beginning this month.  The expansion was approved after an environmental assessment process. The field trial will distribute more than one million oral rabies vaccination (ORV) baits in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia to test the safety and efficacy of the ONRAB® vaccine for potential use in wildlife. The ONRAB® vaccine is currently used in Canada to control rabies in raccoons, skunks and foxes.  The vaccine was field tested in the United States for the first time in West Virginia last year.  Results from the 2011 U.S. field trial with ONRAB® were promising and warranted additional, expanded testing of the vaccine for potential licensure by the USDA APHIS Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB). - For complete News Release see  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/2012/08/rabies_vaccine_expanded.shtml

FOLLOW-UP REPORTS: CALIFORNIA officials confirm GRAY WOLF OR-7 has crossed state line ~ MISSOURI authorities find two cases of CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE at Heartland Wildlife Ranches ~ RABIES reports from FLORIDA, NEW YORK (2), NORTH CAROLINA, and TEXAS.

Follow-Up Reports:

(See November 3, 2011: Lone GRAY WOLF in Oregon travels 300 miles crossing Cascades looking for mate and new territory; November 12, 2011: Oregon Wild launches CONTEST for youngsters to come up with new name for a lone GRAY WOLF known only as OR-7; November 15, 2011: OREGON’s OR-7 lone WOLF crosses into Jackson County; December 13, 2011: OREGON’s wandering lone WOLF – OR-7 – captures the imagination of a worldwide audience; December 20, 2011: The now famous OREGON GRAY WOLF known as OR-7 is still traveling alone.)

California 01/02/12 physorg.com: by Matt Weiser — A gray wolf was confirmed to be roaming California for the first time in 87 years when a young male migrating in search of a mate crossed over the state line from Oregon on Wednesday. The 2-year-old wolf, known as “OR7″, has roamed more than 750 miles, crossing the length of Oregon in search of a new territory to call his own. On Thursday morning, the wolf’s GPS collar reported location data from the previous 24 hours. Wildlife officials said he is now in Siskiyou County, just a few days after he had been near Keno, Ore. “It might just be sort of a drive-by experience or he could become a resident of Siskiyou County,” said Mark Stopher, a special assistant to the director of the California Department of Fish and Game, which is now monitoring the wolf. “He’s more like an interesting ghost right at the moment.”

State officials don’t yet have a plan to manage wolves, but an initial planning document is being prepared and is expected to be released in January. Regardless, because OR7 is migrating, he is considered endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. Disturbing him in any way could be considered a federal crime. As long as OR7 is in California, he will be jointly managed by the Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Stopher warned people not to look for the wolf, or approach it if they see it. But if anyone thinks they saw the wolf, Stopher urged them to report a detailed description of the animal to the Redding regional Fish and Game office.

Wild wolves were exterminated from the West in the early 1900s because they were viewed as a threat to livestock. Biologists now recognize that wolves play an important role in managing deer and elk herds and, in turn, the forests they live in. The last wild wolf confirmed in California was killed by a trapper in Lassen County in 1924. – For complete article see http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-lone-wolf-california.html

Missouri 12/31/11 infozine.com: The Missouri Department of Agriculture is finalizing a depopulation and management plan for an approximately 3,000 acre captive wildlife hunting facility in northern Missouri following two positive tests for Chronic Wasting Disease. The facility, operated by Heartland Wildlife Ranches, LLC, is home to white-tail deer, elk and red deer. The plan includes a requirement to depopulate and test all remaining animals for CWD, as well as restrictions on the future movement of animals into the facility. The plan follows multiple positive CWD tests indentified through random surveillance and extends the facility’s current quarantine until all animals have been depopulated and tested for the disease. In October, MDA received results from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa indicating that a captive white-tail deer harvested in the Macon County facility tested positive for CWD. The animal that tested positive was inspected as part of the State’s CWD surveillance and testing program. A second positive test result on a captive white-tail deer within the same facility was verified late this week.  – For complete article see http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/50182/

Florida 12/29/11 Bay County: Another raccoon has tested positive for rabies in North Bay County. See http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Another_Raccoon_Tested_Positive_for_Rabies_136377428.html

New York 12/29/11 Westport, Essex County: Seven people who came in contact with a feral cat that tested positive for rabies are undergoing precautionary treatment. See http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x1235094713/Rabid-stray-cat-discovered-in-Westport-area

New York 12/29/11 Danube, Herkimer County: A skunk that attacked a puppy during daylight hours in the town of Danube has tested positive for rabies, officials with Herkimer County Public Health said Wednesday. See  http://www.uticaod.com/news/x54 and 5139413/Rabid-skunk-attacked-himpuppy-in-Danube

North Carolina 12/30/11 Statesville, Iredell County: Iredell County Animal Services & Control, along with the Iredell County Health Department, has reported two new cases of rabies, which brings the total number of confirmed cases in Iredell County to nine. Each of the recent cases involved a rabid skunk coming in contact with a dog. See http://www2.statesville.com/news/2011/dec/30/cases-rabies-reported-iredell-county-ar-1765037/

Texas 01/02/12 dshs.state.tx.us: News Release — The Texas Department of State Health Services this week begins its annual airdrop of rabies vaccine baits over portions of southern and western Texas in the continuing effort to protect people and livestock from rabies. Planes will take off from airports in Zapata and Alpine around dawn Wednesday, Jan. 4 and from Del Rio on Thursday, Jan. 12. They will drop about 1.8 million doses of rabies vaccine over the next month as part of the DSHS Oral Rabies Vaccination Program. – For complete news release see http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/releases/20120102.aspx

Montana elk hunter kills GRIZZLY that attacked and bit partner ~ Iowan reports MOUNTAIN LION sighting near university ~ RABIES reports from California (2), Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, & Virginia ~ Follow-Up Reports (2): AFHSC reports most deployed U.S. military animal-bite victims receive no preventative RABIES treatment ~ Mexico releases five WOLVES 80 miles south of Arizona.

Grizzly. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Montana 10/23/11 kxlh.com: An adult female grizzly bear was shot and killed on Saturday after charging a pair of Kalispell elk hunters and injuring one of them near the Continental Divide about four miles south of Marias Pass on U.S. Highway 2.Anthony Willits, 31, and Gregory Louden, 29, had earlier in the day shot a bull elk, taken out a portion of the meat, and were returning to the carcass when they encountered the sow and two cubs. The men reported that as the sow grizzly charged them they shot it once before it bit Willits in the lower left leg below the knee. Louden shot the bear three more times, killing it. The men hiked out, called 911 and went to the Indian Health Service in Browning where there were met by a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game warden. Willits was then taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center where he underwent surgery; his current condition is not yet known. On Sunday, a team of two FWP game wardens, two U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers, an FWP bear management specialist, and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent planned to return to area to investigate and if necessary close the trail. The Kalispell hunters’ route south from U.S. Highway 2 was on Forest Service trail 133 to trail 137 to the intersection of trail 136 where the attack took place.

Iowa 10/23/11 kcrg.com: State conservation officers and local authorities have been unable to find a mountain lion reportedly sighted near Ashford University in Clinton. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says a Clinton resident reported seeing the cat Saturday afternoon near a commencement ceremony at the campus. The department’s Shawn Meier says officers couldn’t find the mountain lion or any paw prints, so they were unable to confirm the sighting. A trail camera captured an image of a mountain lion in Clinton County late last month. The image was confirmed by wildlife biologists, who believe the mountain lion wandering the area is a young male.

California 10/21/11 Hollister, San Benito County: District high school under 2 week “watch period” after BAT found in classroom tested positive for RABIES. See http://hollisterfreelance.com/news/280069-school-on-alert-after-bat-with-rabies-found-in-classroom

California 10/21/11 Alameda County: Officials caution PET owners as second RABIES-infected BAT is found in one week totaling four this year. See http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_19167452?source=rss

Florida 10/21/11 Jacksonville, Duval County: FERAL CAT tested positive for RABIES. Fourth RABIES ALERT issued by Duval County this year. See http://www.news4jax.com/health/29552943/detail.html

Indiana 10/21/11 Mishawaka, St. Joseph County: PET owners cautioned when BAT tested positive for RABIES. This is third rabid BAT found in state this year. See http://www.fox28.com/story/15771661/beware-of-rabid-bats

Massachusetts 10/21/11 Cape Cod Rabies Task Force and USDA will resume its RABIES ORAL VACCINATION BAIT PROGRAM next week to reduce number of infected RACCOONS in the region. See http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111021/NEWS/110210327/-1/NEWSMAP

Pennsylvania 10/21/11 Newville, Cumberland County: Gray and black tabby FERAL CAT tested positive for RABIES. Found near Big Spring High and Mount Rock Elementary schools. See http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Cat-with-rabies-found-very-close-to-Cumberland/mHeCIaqqA0mdidtCqxR8Zg.cspx

Virginia 10/21/11 Poquoson: Peninsula Health District warning residents a RACCOON has tested positive for RABIES. See http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-raccoon-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-poquoson-20111021,0,5450997.story

Follow-Up Reports:

(See August 26, 2011 post: New York soldier returning from deployment diagnosed with RABIES ~ August 28, 2011 Follow-Up Reports: media learns source of New York soldier’s RABIES infection ~ September 5, 2011 Follow-Up Reports: SOLDIER at Ft. Drum, New York, with RABIES has died ~ and September 16, 2011 Follow-Up Reports: SOLDIER who died of RABIES did not receive full course of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) RABIES VACCINE ~ September 26, 2011Follow-Up Reports: Pentagon seeks to identify service members exposed to RABIES.)

U.S. Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center 09/2011 afhsc.mil: From 2001 to 2010, there were 20,522 diagnoses of animal bites among U.S. military members; an average of 5.6 animal bite diagnoses per day throughout the period. Of these, 643 (3.1%) were documented during medical encounters in a combat theater of operation in southwest Asia or the Middle East. The majority of these wounds were “’dog bites”. A small proportion of animal bites received documentation of exposure to or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for rabies virus. Of the 643 in-theater animal bite cases, 117 (18.2%) reportedly received “rabies vaccination” and 25 (3.9%) received Rabies Immune Globulin (RIG) within 90 days of the bite diagnoses. Source: Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, September 2011, Volume 18, Number 9, 12-15. For complete report go to http://www.afhsc.mil/viewMSMR?file=2011/v18_n09.pdf#Page=12

Follow-Up Reports:

(See September 14, 2011: Arizona announces Mexico to release five MEXICAN WOLVES near border.)

Mexican wolf.

Arizona 10/20/11 azgfd.net: News Release – Mexican authorities released five Mexican wolves in the San Luis Mountains in Sonora, Mexico, on Oct. 12, 2011, approximately 80 miles south of Douglas, Arizona. Mexico’s desire to release wolves in Sonora as part of its recovery effort has been known for the past two years, although the exact timetable for release was unknown. The Arizona Game and Fish Department has been actively involved in the multi-agency effort to reintroduce Mexican wolves to portions of their historic range in the east-central portion of Arizona (and adjacent New Mexico) for many years. In 1998, 11 captive-reared Mexican wolves were released into the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area (BRWRA) in eastern Arizona.  The current population in Arizona-New Mexico was assessed to be approximately 50 animals during 2011 monitoring. The Mexican wolf is considered endangered in the United States and Mexico. – For complete news release go to http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/NewsMedia/Mexican-authorities-release-Mexican-wolves-in-Sonora.shtml

Idaho officers shoot MOUNTAIN LION that attacked 10-year-old ~ Maine officers shoot BLACK BEAR in Portland neighborhood ~ Washington issues ADVISORY about OYSTERS harvested in Hood Canal #4 ~ MOSQUITOES in two more Massachusetts towns carrying EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS ~ RABIES reports from Colorado, New Jersey, & Tennessee ~ and WEST NILE VIRUS reports from California (3), Florida, Illinois (2), and Louisiana ~ Canada: B.C. man kills MOUNTAIN LION attacking pet CAT ~ Travel Warnings for Pakistan.

Mountain Lion. PD. Wikimedia Commons.

Idaho 09/23/11 idaho.gov: News Release – Thursday evening about 8 or 8:30 p.m. a young boy went out with his dad to look for a family pet bird dog that had been missing since the day before. They were searching in thick sagebrush near their home in a Mores Creek subdivision when the boy heard noises in the brush. But instead of the missing dog he had hoped to find, he came face to face with a young cougar. He panicked and ran. The lion gave chase. The boy stumbled and found the cat close by. The cat took a swipe with its front paw, scratching the boy on the arm and hand. The boy yelled to his father, who fired a round from his 9 mm handgun to scare the cat away. Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers, an off-duty Meridian police officer and a Boise County deputy responded to the incident. With the help of tracking dogs, the officers located the cat, guarding the pet dog it had killed. The officers killed the lion with shots from handguns and a rifle. The female cat was estimated to be about 50 pounds and a year and a half old. It is not unusual for young lions to get into trouble after they have left the protection their mother and are trying to learn to survive on their own, Senior Conservation Officer Matt O’Connell said. When a lion has made physical contact with a human, especially in the circumstance of having killed a pet dog, protocol is to kill the animal, he said. The boy’s wounds were considered minor. Such events are rare; this the second recorded mountain lion incident involving injury to a human in Idaho. The other involved a 12-year-old boy on the Salmon River in the early 1990s.

Maine 09/24/11 pressherald.com: Officers of the Maine Warden Service shot and killed a black bear today around 7 a.m. in the woods off Veranda Street in the East Deering neighborhood. Portland police reported the treed bear to the Wardens Service around 4:30 a.m. Wardens initially tried to tranquilize the bear, but were unable to, according to Portland police Lt. Jim Sweatt. “It was getting to be 7 o’clock and you don’t want school buses and firearms on the scene,” Sweatt said. The bear initially was spotted in a tree on Oregon Street, a residential area, before climbing down and running off, Sweatt said. A warden tracked the bear down streets and through backyards before shooting it as a last resort because of the school bus concerns and commuter traffic starting to pick up on nearby Route 1. The wardens’ service said the bear weighed 220 pounds. The hide is being sent to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife so researchers can determine the bear’s sex and age and other factors. The meat will be distributed to soup kitchens. Wildlife officials are warning residents this is the time of year bears are on the prowl for food as they fatten up in preparation for hibernation in late fall.

Hood Canal Oyster Beds

Washington 09/23/11 wa.gov: News Release – Distributors, retailers, restaurants, and consumers have been advised not to eat, sell, or ship oysters harvested between August 30 and September 19 from Washington’s Hood Canal growing area #4. The state Department of Health made the recommendations, including contacting people who bought the oysters over the Internet, as part of a recall of oysters in the shell harvested in that growing area between those dates. The agency closed oyster harvesting in the area after five people who ate raw oysters containing Vibrio parahaemolyticus, got sick with an illness called vibriosis. The recall is a precautionary action to make sure that no oysters in the shell harvested from Hood Canal #4, in this time period, are still for sale or in the hands of consumers. State health officials order a recall when two or more unrelated cases of vibriosis are linked to the same source of oysters from the growing area. There have been several other vibriosis cases reported this summer, scattered around the state’s growing areas. Typically, Washington sees about 50 cases of vibriosis a year. Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria are found naturally in the environment. When water temperature rises, the bacteria can quickly grow to a level that causes illness.

Massachusetts 09/23/11 milforddailynews.com: by Whitney Clearman – Mosquitoes carrying the eastern equine encephalitis virus, which can infect humans through bites, were found yesterday morning near (the Medway) recycling center, according to the Board of Health. The Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project is testing its mosquito traps to see if the finding was an isolated incident or if the virus is in other locations, he said. The virus has historically affected southeast Massachusetts, around Bristol and Plymouth counties, and not MetroWest, said Catherine Brown, state public health veterinarian.

Massachusetts 09/23/11 patch.com: by Jeremie Smith – On Wednesday, Dover-Sherborn Patch reported the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus was found in mosquitoes in Sherborn. Due to Medfield’s close geographical proximity to Sherborn, Medfield Public School administrators issued letters to parents to notify them of Sherborn’s finding and to offer tips on how to prevent their children from being bitten by mosquitoes.

Colorado 09/22/11 reporterherald.com: from an article by Pamela Dickman – A Loveland man is undergoing a series of rabies shots after being bitten on the neck by a bat. “I had no idea a bat had bit me,” he said, until he saw his dog playing with a dead bat in the yard a couple of days later. The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment took the bat to a Colorado State University lab where it tested positive for rabies.  So far this year, 22 humans and 62 domestic animals are believed to have come in contact with a rabid bat across the state, and in Larimer County, six residents – three from the same family – have undergone inoculations to prevent rabies, according to the state and county health departments.

New Jersey 09/22/11 patch.com: by Denise DiSephan – Jack Neary, known locally as Muskrat Jack, the town’s animal control officer, confirmed that a raccoon that was captured during the day on Long Point Lane last Friday has tested positive for rabies, said Point Beach Borough Administrator Christine Riehl in a prepared statement. To report a suspicious animal call the the Point Beach Police Department at 732-892-0500 or Muskrat Jack at 732-295-1618.

Tennessee 09/22/11 clarksvilleonline.com: The Tennessee Department of Health is working with the United States Department of Agriculture to help prevent rabies by distributing oral rabies vaccine for wild raccoons along Tennessee’s borders with Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The annual baiting program administered by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, will begin in Tennessee on September 30th, 2011. “Control of raccoon rabies is vital to public health, and we are pleased to be part of this important and effective program to reduce rabies in wildlife, which helps prevent transmission to people, pets and livestock,” said Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, FACOEM. Vaccine packets placed inside fishmeal blocks or coated with fishmeal will be distributed throughout a 15 county area in Tennessee. The barrier varies from 30 to 60 miles wide and covers approximately 3,400 square miles, running along the Virginia/North Carolina border in northeast Tennessee to the Georgia border in southeast Tennessee near Chattanooga. Baits will be distributed by hand from vehicles in urban and suburban areas and dropped from specially equipped airplanes in rural areas. The oral rabies vaccine will be distributed on the following schedule: Sept 30th-Oct 8th: Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington Counties. Oct 5th-15th: Bradley, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk Counties. For additional information on rabies prevention or the oral rabies vaccine program, call the USDA Wildlife Services toll-free rabies line at 1.866.487.3297 or the Tennessee Department of Health at 1.615.741.7247.

Lake County

California 09/23/11 lakeconews.com: A third sample of mosquitoes collected in Lake County has tested positive for West Nile Virus. The positive sample consisted of 10 Culex tarsalis – the Western encephalitis mosquito – collected east of Middletown on Thursday, Sept. 15, according to the Lake County Vector Control District. The district said the previous two West Nile Virus-positive mosquito samples were collected earlier in September near Kelseyville. No other West Nile Virus activity – in humans or animals – has been reported in Lake County this year. “The mosquitoes that are testing positive for West Nile Virus in Lake County develop in still water,” said Jamesina J. Scott, Ph.D., the district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District. “They will develop in wading pools, neglected swimming pools and spas, ponds, fountains, and other water sources. You can protect your family – and your neighbors – by dumping out small water sources like wading pools, or calling the district for help with larger sources like pools and ponds.” One unmaintained – or “green” – pool can produce hundreds of thousands mosquitoes per week, and those mosquitoes can fly up to five miles away. – For complete article go to http://lakeconews.com/content/view/21535/919/

Riverside County

California 09/22/11 latimes.com: Three Riverside County women contracted the West Nile Virus in August, the county’s first reported cases this year, authorities said Thursday. All three are recovering and there doesn’t appear to be any connection between any of the cases, said Dr. Eric Frykman, the county’s public health officer. A 44-year-old Corona woman and a 63-year-old Norco woman were hospitalized for a short time after contracting the virus last month, the county health department said in a statement released Thursday. In the third case, a 36-year-old Beaumont woman is recovering at home.

San Bernadino County

California 09/22/11 vvdailypress.comA 57-year-old Barstow resident suffering from a case of West Nile virus was bitten by an infected mosquito in Fontana last month and did not contract the disease in Barstow, officials said Thursday. The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health notified city of Barstow officials about the West Nile case Monday, according to the statement. The city worked with San Bernardino County Vector Control Agency, which began trapping mosquitoes in town.

St. Johns County

Florida 09/23/11 staugustine.com: from a report by Jennifer Edwards – Anastasia Mosquito Control District officials have confirmed the presence of West Nile Virus. This is the first known instance here this year, said Anastasia Mosquito Control Director Rudy Xue. It was reported in one of the sentinel chickens that the district keeps on Joe Ashton Road as part of an early detection system. No humans in St. Johns County are known to have been infected with West Nile Virus. Joe Ashton Road is located in the county’s northwest off County Road 13.

Illinois 09/22/11 patch.com: by Jennifer Fisher & Brian Slupski – A Northbrook man in his 60s was the first person to die of West Nile Virus in Illinois in 2011, according to the Cook County Department of Public Health.  The man had underlying health conditions that contributed to his death, said Department of Health spokesperson Amy Poore . . . Poore emphasized the fact that there have been incidences of West Nile Virus throughout Cook County, not just in Northbrook. All told, six people have contracted the virus this year, the Illinois Department of Public Health reports.

Illinois 09/22/11 triblocal.com: by Lawrence Synett – A Woodstock man has contracted the first reported human case of West Nile Virus in McHenry County. The 35-year-old Woodstock man was hospitalized, but has since been released.

Calcasieu Parish

Louisiana 09/23/11 kify.com: Louisiana’s health department says a West Nile virus case in Calcasieu Parish is the tenth diagnosed statewide this year and the fifth dangerous infection of the brain or spinal cord. The Department of Health and Hospitals says the last dangerous “neuroinvasive” case to be diagnosed also was in Calcasieu Parish. Other cases diagnosed earlier include 3 of flu-like West Nile fever and two infections without any symptoms.

Canada:

British Columbia 09/23/11 vancouversun.com: by Keri Sculland – A cougar that has been lurking around a Port Alberni neighbourhood has been killed after it tried to attack a pet cat. People in the area of Lakeshore Road “had been warned” about the large cougar after it was seen stalking a woman and her dog last week, said resident Bob Cole. Cole was pulling out of his driveway Tuesday afternoon when he saw the cougar on top of one of his neighbour’s cats. He hit the gas, aimed for the cougar and hoped the best for the pet’s life. “I just took my chance to hit the cougar,” he said. Cole could not stick around at the scene, leaving his wife in charge of directing RCMP and conservation officers to where the cougar laid. “When the conservation officers came, they found it immediately,” he said. “It went down off the side of the road and they dispatched it.” The cougar, it turns out, was ill. After conservation authorities located the injured animal, it was destroyed and sent away for an autopsy. “The cougar was a young male and it was not in healthy condition,” confirmed RCMP Cpl. Jen Allan. The neighbour’s cat, however, ran away safely.

Travel Warnings:

Pakistan 09/22/11 xinhuanet.com: Death toll from an epidemic of dengue fever, which has gripped Pakistan’s most populous and eastern province of Punjab, has now reached 62 as another man died on Thursday, health officials and local media reported. The fever, which has also been reported in other parts of the country, has infected nearly 8,000 in the last two months, they said. Till Thursday, 100,000 people have rushed to government and private hospitals in Lahore for medical test as every citizen is now wanting to get doctors’ advice. Residents say that 50 percent people now avoid visiting parks and picnic spots in Lahore. There have also been reports of dengue in southern Sindh Province, with the provincial Dengue Surveillance Cell reporting over 200 cases this year, most of them in Karachi.