FLORIDA county issues alert after RABID BOBCAT found in homeowner’s garage ~ NEW HAMPSHIRE 9-year-old bitten by COYOTE in MASSACHUSETTS ~ OHIO expert fears state’s LYME DISEASE cases will increase ~ CALIFORNIA & MONTANA officials dispatch farm raiding MOUNTAIN LIONS ~ CALIFORNIA hikers site MOUNTAIN LIONS near UCSC ~COYOTE reports from ILLINOIS, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, PENNSYLVANIA, & WISCONSIN ~ RABIES reports from MAINE, & NEW JERSEY.

Bobcat. Photo by Idaho Fish & Game

 Florida 01/16/12 Nassau County: The Nassau County Health Department has issued a rabies advisory for Nassau County. A bobcat was tested positive for rabies Monday after entering a homeowner’s garage in West Nassau. See http://www.fbnewsleader.com/articles/2012/01/16/news/00newsrabiesalert.txt

Massachusetts 01/18/12 Haverhill, Essex County: A nine-year-old New Hamshire girl is receiving precautionary rabies treatment after being bitten by a coyote in her friend’s yard on January 16. See http://www.eagletribune.com/latestnews/x1070343489/Girl-bitten-by-coyote-she-thought-was-a-dog

Ohio 01/18/12 Clevelandleader.com: An Ohio expert says that the state is seeing a “shocking” increase in deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. Richard Gary, an entomologist with the Ohio Department of Health, says that 183 ticks submitted to his agency last year were confirmed as black-legged ticks, which are also known as deer ticks. An additional 1,830 of the ticks were found on deer heads collected from hunters by other state offices. Some were found to carry the Lyme bacteria. Between 1989 and 2009, only 51 deer ticks were identified throughout the state. Deer ticks are most prevalent in the Ohio’s eastern and southern counties. Information about Lyme disease is now being sent out to health professionals throughout Ohio. In 2010, there were 44 reported cases of Lyme disease in Ohio.

California  01/18/12 Twain Harte, Tuolumne County: A US Department of Agriculture trapper has captured a mountain lion known to have killed at least three domestic goats. The lion was euthanized. See http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/1497839/Mountain-Lion-Captured-In-Twain-Harte.html

California 01/18/12 Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County: Local police warning area residents that two hikers reported seeing two adult mountain lions on Tuesday at Pogonip Park near the UCSC campus. See http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Mountain-Lions-Spotted-Near-UC-Santa-Cruz-137568383.html

Montana 01/18/12 Butte, Silver Bow County: A US Wildlife Services trapper shot the adult male mountain lion known to have killed at least two domestic goats. See http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e5d0900d5da74250a2aeda623820816a/MT–Mountain-Lion-Shot/

Illinois 01/18/12 Lake Forest City, Lake County: the presence of coyotes in suburban areas was discussed Monday night at the Lake Forest City Council meeting. See http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/coyote-sightings-has-resident-asking-lake-forest-for-help

Massachusetts 01/18/12 Methuen, Essex County: A family on Baltic Street reported that a coyote attacked their pet Chihuahua in their yard on Tuesday and carried it into the woods. The dog has not been seen since. See http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x180451968/Coyote-carries-familys-Chihuahua-into-woods

Michigan 01/16/12 Clinton Township, Macomb County: Coyotes, alone or in small packs, have been reported in the Little Mack subdivision area. See http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/macomb_county/neighbors-say-they-have-spotted-several-coyotes-in-little-mack-subdivision

New Hampshire 01/18/12 Barrington, Strafford County: A family on Town Farm Road reported that coyote attack their pet Shetland sheep dog and carried it into the woods. The dog has not been seen since. See http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120118/GJNEWS_01/701189942

Pennsylvania 01/18/12 Greensburg, Westmoreland County: A man and his pet German Shepherd are receiving post-exposure prophylaxis rabies shots after a coyote attack on January 12. See http://www.wpxi.com/news/30244047/detail.html

Wisconsin 01/16/12 Muskego, Waukesha County: Report of three coyotes digging their way into animal pens at a rehab facility. See http://muskego.patch.com/articles/coyotes-are-at-it-again-at-acres-of-hope

Maine 01/18/12 Dixfield, Oxford County: Six members of the same family are getting precautionary rabies shots after the dogs came in contact with a skunk that later tested positive for the virus. See http://www.wmtw.com/news/30238925/detail.html

New Jersey 01/17/12 Upper Saddle River, Bergen County: A rabies alert has been issued by local police after a dog killed a raccoon that tested positive for the virus, and in a second, more recent incident, an elderly resident has been hospitalized after being attacked by a raccoon in his attached garage. See http://www.northjersey.com/news/Upper_Saddle_River_police_issue_warning_over_wild_animals_after_rabies_incident.html

CANADA: Five NUNAVUT hunters attacked by POLAR BEAR ~ MASSACHUSETTS man diagnosed with HUMAN RABIES ~ CALIFORNIA petting zoo owner has raiding MOUNTAIN LION shot ~ CALIFORNIA rancher has raiding MOUNTAIN LION trapped ~ IOWA police shoot MOUNTAIN LION ~ NORTH DAKOTA man shoots MOUNTAIN LION in his house ~ WISCONSIN scientist to lead study of LYME DISEASE ~ CANADA: CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE found on SASKATCHEWAN DEER farm.

Polar Bear. Courtesy National Oceanic & Atmospheric Admin.

Canada:

Nunavut 12/22/11 CBC.ca: A group of hunters near Igloolik, Nunavut, had a harrowing experience when they were attacked by a polar bear that was with her cubs. The bear died after the hunters shot it. On Wednesday, five men went out to retrieve their cache of Igunaq, or aged walrus meat, when the bear attacked them. John Arnatsiaq, 58, squared off against the bear after it went after his friend. “All of a sudden the bear was right there. But it wasn’t going for me – it was going for the other guy,” said Arnatsiaq.

Arnatsiaq jumped in between the two and shoved a hammer in the bear’s mouth. “What I did was poke the bear with the hammer and put the hammer in its mouth and pull to make him angry so it will go after me instead of going after that guy. Because I knew that guy had bullets in his pocket and that his rifle was not loaded,” said Arnatsiaq. Arnatsiaq said the bear kept going for his friend and swatted Arnatsiaq away. Arnatsiaq grabbed the bear’s fur and kept swinging the hammer. “And then we were fighting for a few minutes and then I missed my footing and almost fell. That’s when the bear was going for my shoulder,” he said. The bear bit into his hand which was covering his shoulder. At that point, the other hunters were finally able to shoot the bear and the cubs, which had joined in the fight. “It could have been worse, I’m fine, I’m ok,” he said.

inArnatsiaq said the bear was hungry and wanted the walrus meat. Arnatsiaq didn’t escape unscathed – the bear also bit his face, requiring him to get five stitches in his lip. He said his body is also sore. Arnatsiaq has had close polar bear encounters before. In the past, he smashed a bear on the nose with his camera. “First time with a camera, this time with a hammer. Probably no more next time,” he said. Polar bears are the largest terrestrial carnivores on the planet. Adult female bears can weigh up to 550 pounds and can grow to nearly eight feet in length.

Massachusetts 12/30/11 BostonHerald.com: by Matt Stout & Ira Kantor — A Barnstable man given a grim outlook by state officials after being diagnosed as the first human victim of rabies in Massachusetts during the past 75 years may have a better chance to survive than public health officials say, according to a doctor who revolutionized treatment of the previously fatal disease. The man, who is in his 60s but not identified by state officials, remains in critical condition at a Boston hospital after likely being bitten by a bat inside his home or a converted barn. Though the disease only shows up in a handful of humans nationwide each year, rabies has a mortality near 100 percent, said Dr. Larry Madoff, director of the Department of Public Health’s Division of Epidemiology and Immunization. “Almost nobody survives.” But Dr. Rodney E. Willoughby, a Wisconsin pediatrician who created a drug regimen that helped a teenager become the first person to survive the disease without immunization, said the unnamed Bay State victim may still have a chance to avoid the fate of the five other rabies victims in the country who died from the disease this year, despite the man’s age.

We’re quoting about 20, 25 percent survival,” Willoughby told the Herald in a phone interview, though he declined to say if he had any direct involvement in the Massachusetts man’s case. “It’s not zero, but 20 percent isn’t something to write home about.” Thomas McKean, Director of the Barnstable Health Division, confirmed yesterday the man lived in the Cape Cod town. The man’s wife is also undergoing treatment in case she, too, was infected, McKean said. No one else lived on their property, which McKean said includes a barn that had been converted into office space, where the man may have been bitten. State officials yesterday were still awaiting the results of species tests, but they said there were bats in the man’s living quarters. – For complete article see http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2011_1230rabies_shows_up_in_barnstable/srvc=home&position=recent

California 12/28/11 pe.com: by David Danelski — A mountain lion that took a heavy toll on the animals in an Oak Glen petting zoo was killed on Christmas night when it returned to a sheep carcass to feed. The 7-year-old female lion had been raiding the petting zoo at Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho apple orchards. In all, 13 goats and sheep died, said Devon Riley, who owns the business in the mountains east of Yucaipa. When the goats and sheep started to disappear in late November, California Department of Fish and Game officials investigated and determined it was the work of a cougar. The department issued Riley’s a special permit to shoot the lion. When the goats and sheep started to disappear in late November, California Department of Fish and Game officials investigated and determined it was the work of a cougar. The department issued Riley’s a special permit to shoot the lion. The lion would hop a fence, grab an animal and then stash the carcass in a nearby willow thicket, Riley said. To discourage the predator, the Rileys moved their animals to pens close to their home. But the attacks continued. “She just found the next spot to go to,” he said. “We saw her only twice, always in the middle of the night.”

The end came about 11:30p.m. Sunday. “She killed a sheep, and she returned to feed on it,” Riley said. Riley’s son, 19-year-old Seth, killed the lion with a shotgun. Kevin Brennan, a Fish and Game wildlife biologist, said the cougar was about four feet long and weighed 82 pounds, a normal size. The animals live about 10 years in the wild, he said. Property owners can legally kill mountain lions or bears that attack livestock or pets, Brennan said. The resident must first obtain a permit or catch the animal in the act.

California 12/28/11 gilroydispatch.com: by Kollin Kosmicki — A county-designated trapper caught a mountain lion Tuesday after an Aromas rancher reported two steers were killed the previous day, said San Benito’s agriculture commissioner Ron Ross. A rancher off Anzar Road on Monday discovered two dead steers of about 450 pounds each. He suspected a mountain lion may have been responsible and reported it to the San Benito agriculture commissioner’s office. On Monday night, a county-hired expert with the U.S. Department of Agriculture set out a trap, and caught the mountain lion in a cage Tuesday morning, Ross said. The lion was about 100 pounds and has been euthanized, which is a state requirement when the big cats are captured after such encounters. There have been occasional reports from local ranchers of possible cougar attacks – some officials have expressed concern about a growing population and needing a statewide count of the species – but it is uncommon to actually capture a mountain lion in a trap, or large cage with a door that shuts when an animal enters. “To my knowledge, this is the first time (with a capture) on the San Benito County side of Aromas,” Ross said. The area where the trapper caught the lion is mostly rural with pockets of residential neighborhoods nearby. The trap was located about 100 yards from a residence, according to officials.

Iowa 12/23/11kcrg.com: Authorities have shot and killed a mountain lion in western Iowa. The police chief in Blencoe, near the Nebraska border, and a Monona County Sheriff’s Deputy responded early Friday after someone reported seeing the animal. The officers shot the adult male lion after finding him in a tree. Officials believe the lion likely came from a state west of Iowa. Biologists with the Department of Natural Resources believe most of the lions seen in Iowa are pushed out of their native areas by older, dominant males. The lion will be analyzed to determine its age, feeding habits and place origin. It will eventually be mounted and put on display in Monoma County. The Department of Natural Resources says wildlife protection isn’t extended to mountain lions in Iowa.

North Dakota 12/22/11nd.gov: News Release — State Game and Fish Department officials are confirming that a rural western North Dakota homeowner shot and killed a 38-pound mountain lion kitten inside his home on Wednesday evening. According to chief game warden Robert Timian, upon returning to his farmstead northwest of Grassy Butte Wednesday, the homeowner discovered the mountain lion kitten lying on his couch. The man then grabbed a .22 pistol kept near his doorway, shot the animal, and then contacted Game and Fish. Timian said the initial investigation revealed the garage door was open during the day, and the door from the garage into the house was open when the owner returned home. Since the lion apparently killed four domestic cats in the house, and other domestic cats were present, it’s possible the lion was attracted to the house by cat scent coming through the open door, Timian added.  “This is a very unusual situation,” Timian said. “The homeowner probably wasn’t in any danger from the small lion, and he was well within his rights to dispatch it.” The home is located in an area of North Dakota where mountain lions are present. While Game and Fish periodically gets reports of lions in or near farmsteads, Timian said this is the first one that has entered a home. The fact that it was a young animal may have been a factor in its presence around a dwelling.

Wisconsin 12/22/11mcw.edu: The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a $1.9 million, five-year grant from the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Jenifer L. Coburn, PhD, professor of medicine, division of infectious disease, is the primary investigator of the grant. Wisconsin is one of the states with a high incidence of Lyme disease, with 20,000 cases being diagnosed since tracking began in 1980.

Dr. Jenifer Coburn

In the United States, 30,000 cases were diagnosed in 2010. Many patients are not diagnosed for weeks or months, and untreated cases can lead to permanent neurological impairment. In this research project, Dr. Coburn will study a protein named P66, which is a part of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi. P66 has been shown to be critical to the ability of the bacterium to cause infection in mammals. Learning more about this protein and the way it contributes to infection could lead to novel approaches to prevention and early treatment of Lyme disease.

Canada:

Saskatchewan 12/21/11ctv.com: Chronic wasting disease has been discovered on another game farm in Saskatchewan. It is the fourth case in the province so far this year. The latest case involves a white tail deer from a farm in the Prince Albert area. The animal was discovered to be carrying the disease through a mandatory testing program for all animals over the age of 12 months that die on farms. Canada Food Inspection Agency scientists say the disease poses very little risk to humans. However, they say to prevent the spread of CWD to other animals or farms it is necessary to slaughter the entire herd.

Deer with CWD

Alex McIsaac, from CIFA, says slaughter is the only way to do an accurate test. “Unfortunately we don’t have a live animal test at this time so that’s the only way we can determine how far it has spread, unfortunately it’s by destroying animals and using this post-mortem sample.”

Announcement: CDC and MARYLAND DOH offer RABIES PEP course online ~ RABIES reports from OHIO, & WEST VIRGINIA ~ MOUNTAIN LION reports from CALIFORNIA (2) ~ CDC Reports: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending November 5, 2011.

Announcement:

Rabies Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Online Course

Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Basics: Case Illustrations of the 2010 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Guidelines is a free online course developed by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) in collaboration with CDC. It is designed to educate health-care and public health professionals about rabies, the approach used in assessing rabies virus exposure, and administration of rabies PEP based on ACIP recommendations. Continuing Education credits are available to any physician, nurse, pharmacist, or veterinarian who takes the training. The course can be accessed at the Maryland DHMH website at http://ideha.dhmh.maryland.gov/training/rabies/default.aspx

Ohio 11/18/11 Mentor, Lake County: In the past month, three skunks found in Mentor have tested positive for rabies bringing the total found in  Lake County this year to eight. See http://mentor.patch.com/articles/three-more-rabid-skunks-found-in-mentor

West Virginia 11/18/11 Fort Gay, Wayne County: A gray fox found between Fort Gay and Crum this week has tested positive for rabies. See http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e90fb80ee0d840089bac57c8048f744e/WV–Fox-Rabies/

California 11/18/11 Glendale, Los Angeles County: A mountain lion scaled a backyard fence and made off with a small dog on Nov 14. See http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/mountain-lion-yanks-chihuahua-from-doghouse.html

California 11/17/11 San Marcos, San Diego County: Cal State students alerted to a   confirmed mountain lion sighting in a campus parking lot on Nov 16. See http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/san-marcos/san-marcos-mountain-lion-spotted-on-university-campus/article_b159079a-fcb3-556e-b9db-9fe4d6a636ba.html

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending November 5, 2011:

Published November 11, 2011 / 60(44); 1532-1545

Anaplasmosis . . . 15 . . . New York (15),

Babesiosis . . . 9 . . . Maryland, New York (8),

Ehrlichiosis . . . 1 . . . North Carolina,

Giardiasis . . . 195 . . . Alabama (2), Arkansas (5), California (26), Colorado (9), Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (29), Georgia (5), Idaho (5), Iowa, Maine (2), Maryland (4), Massachusetts (3), Michigan (6), Missouri (12), Montana (3), Nebraska,  Nevada (2), New York (38), Ohio (14), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (10), Vermont, Virginia (3), Washington (10),

Hansen Disease (Leprosy) . . . 1 . . . California, 

HME/HGE Undetermined . . . 1 . . . Virginia,  

Lyme Disease . . .  315 . . . Florida (2), Georgia, Maryland (7), Massachusetts, New Jersey (69), New York (95), North Carolina (12), Pennsylvania (105), Rhode Island (6), Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia (14), West Virginia,

Novel influenza A virus (H3N2) . . . 1 . . . Maine,

Q Fever (Acute) . . . 2 . . . Michigan, Texas,

Rabies (Animal) . . . 41 . . . Alabama, California (2), New York (7), Ohio (2), Puerto Rico (2), Rhode Island (6), Vermont, Virginia (19), West Virginia,

Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 3 . . . Georgia, North Carolina (2),

Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 59 . . . Alabama (3), Maryland, North Carolina (47), Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia (6),

Tularemia . . . 2 . . . Colorado, Virginia.

Pennsylvania WOMAN attacked by BEAR in her backyard ~ RABIES reports from Massachusetts (2), Virginia, & Wisconsin ~ Canada: DEER TICKS carrying LYME DISEASE now endemic on Grand Manan Island.

Pennsylvania 11/10/11 poconorecord.com: A woman was attacked by a bear outside her Jackson Township home on Thursday evening. The attack happened on Livingston Street at about 9:30 p.m. Shortly after the woman had let her German shepherd out of the house and into the backyard, she heard it yelping. She went outside to see what was going on, and that’s when she saw the dog tangled up with two bears, one big and one small. The woman tried to free the dog from the bears when the larger one attacked her, scratching her on the head and neck. She started screaming to scare the bears away, which prompted her husband, who was inside, to come to her aid. The bears then ran away. The woman was taken to Pocono Medical Center, and her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, according to officials on scene. There was no word on the dog’s condition. State game commission officers remained on scene late Thursday night, searching the area for the bears.

Massachusetts 11/10/11 Belchertown, Hampshire County: Disabled woman appealing to owners of a Rottweiler that bit her service dog to come forward so authorities can release it from a 45-day quarantine, which is required in possible rabies cases . See http://www.gazettenet.com/2011/11/10/disabled-woman-pleads-for-owners-of-dog-who-bit-service-dog-to-come-forward

Massachusetts 11/10/11 Medway, Norfolk County: Local animal control officer cautions resident pet-owners that a raccoon found on Lovering Street has tested positive for rabies. See http://www.milforddailynews.com/newsnow/x1696639433/Raccoon-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-Medway

Virginia 11/10/11 Norfolk: A fox that bit four dogs in three neighborhoods on Nov 8 has tested positive for rabies. See http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/norfolk/fox-tests-positive-for-rabies#

Wisconsin 11/09/11 wsau.com: The Marathon County health department is looking for a cat that bit a child on Sunday in Wausau. The cat is orange with white spots. The bite happened in the 2700 block of East Wausau Avenue. Authorities need to find the cat’s owner to see if the animal is up-to-date on its vaccination. If not, the victim may have to get some rabies shots. Anyone with information should call the health department at 715-261-1908.

Canada:

New Brunswick 11/10/11 cbc.ca: Ticks carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease are now breeding on Grand Manan, according to public health officials. The island’s North Head area has been classified as endemic, which means infected blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, are living there year-round, said Dr. Eilish Cleary, the province’s chief medical officer of health. It is the second confirmed endemic area of the province. The only other one is Millidgeville, in Saint John. But cases of infected ticks are not isolated to those two locations, said Cleary. Migrating birds can carry ticks and spread the disease to other areas. “Just as we know that mosquitoes are found in all parts of the province, we know ticks can be found in all parts of the province,” she said. “We cannot look under every bush in New Brunswick and so the fact that we found it there doesn’t mean it’s not elsewhere so that’s why we are giving the message that Lyme disease can be contracted throughout the province.” People living in other areas should still be cautious when out in the woods or in tall grass and try to avoid being exposed, said Cleary. – For complete article including precautions see http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/11/10/nb-lyme-ticks-grand-manan.html

Alabama officers kill escaped RED DEER/ELK hybrid to protect native DEER herd from CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ~ West Virginia DNR issues area ALERT advising that two ELK escaped from Pennsylvania facility near state border ~ Wyoming confirms Carbon County MAN died of HANTAVIRUS ~ COYOTE reports from Illinois, & Kansas ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from Illinois, & New York ~ CDC Reports: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending October 29, 2011.

Bull Elk. Courtesy National Park Service.

Alabama 11/04/11 al.com: by Jeff Dute – Conservation enforcement officers in Madison County killed a young red deer/elk hybrid bull earlier this week that had wandered more than 80 miles north, then east from where it is suspected to have escaped from an enclosure near Hanceville, said District I assistant supervising wildlife biologist Mitchell Marks.

Red Deer.

Marks said the estimated 450-pound bull’s path to where it was killed north of Huntsville was easy to track from the numerous phone calls the department received over the last two weeks. When no one claimed ownership, Marks said the decision to kill it was based on concerns over the possible spread of the always-fatal deer malady chronic wasting disease and for public safety reasons. “It’s not believed that this animal had CWD, but since we don’t know exactly where it came from, first we have to test to make sure it doesn’t,” he said.

Elk with CWD.

“We don’t want to jeopardize our deer herd at all. Second, people in Alabama are not used to seeing an animal of this size on our state’s roads. Something that big could be a public hazard that we want to remove.” There is no CWD test for live animals, so once it was killed, the hybrid’s head was removed and sent for testing while the carcass was buried, Marks said. Kevin Dodd, Alabama’s assistant chief of enforcement said since state regulations only mention deer in regard to seasons and bag limits, hunters who happen to encounter a non-native species such as the sika deer shot by a bowhunter in Jackson County on Monday or even an elk are within their rights to legally kill it.

Sika Deer Stag.

“If they happen to see a sika or an elk, it’s fair game as far as the law’s concerned,” Dodd said. “Shoot it, drag it to the truck and have it packaged at the processor.” As an example, Dodd said a hunter legally killed what he thought was the biggest whitetail doe of his life near Tuscaloosa last year. The animal turned out to be a cow elk that had escaped from an enclosure and that was twice as big as the average whitetail female.

West Virginia 11/04/11 wvdnr.gov: News Release – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) has confirmed with officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) that at least two elk, including one adult bull and one cow, have escaped from a captive cervid facility (deer and elk farms) in Greene County, Pa. Greene County shares a common border with Marshall, Wetzel and Monongalia counties in West Virginia. The elk escaped from a captive cervid facility located approximately three miles from the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border. The PDA regulates captive cervid facilities in Pennsylvania. A representative of the agency was unaware if the recent escaped elk were tagged. The WVDNR regulates captive cervid facilities in West Virginia. In West Virginia, all captive cervids in breeding facilities must be ear-tagged, and there are currently no reported elk escapes from any facility in West Virginia. A bull elk has been seen recently in Wetzel County, W.Va., according to WVDNR officials. There have been no reports of cow elk sightings in either Wetzel County, W.Va., or Greene County, Pa. No free-ranging wild elk live within 150 miles of Wetzel County. The elk sighted in Wetzel County is likely the escaped animal from the captive facility in Pennsylvania.

White-tailed buck with CWD.

Contact between escaped captive deer or elk and free-ranging white-tailed deer increases the risk of disease transmission from the captive animals to the native herd, according WVDNR biologists. The movement and/or escape of captive deer and elk increases this risk of contact and are one of the many possible modes of transmission for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from captive cervids to free-ranging white-tailed deer. “Monitoring and protecting West Virginia’s deer herd from CWD and other diseases is crucial to West Virginia’s economy and its natural resources,” said WVDNR Director Frank Jezioro. WVDNR advises residents in Marshall, Wetzel and Monongalia counties to contact the Farmington District Office at 304-825-6787 if they see an elk in these counties. Hunters are reminded that it is illegal to harvest any free-ranging elk in West Virginia.

Deer Mouse.

Wyoming 11/03/11 wyo.gov: News Release – A Carbon County man’s late October death was due to Hantavirus, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Dr. Tracy Murphy, state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health, said rodent exposure is a very real risk factor for the disease. “Rodent infestation in and around the home and in outbuildings such as barns is the primary risk for Hantavirus exposure,” he said. Infected rodents shed the virus through urine, droppings and saliva. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is transmitted to humans when dried, contaminated materials are disturbed. “Typically in these cases, humans become infected by breathing in the infectious aerosols that result,” Murphy said. Nine HPS cases have been reported to the Wyoming Department of Health since 2000. Two unrelated 2008 cases in Carbon County resulted in death. In Wyoming, the deer mouse is the primary carrier of Hantavirus. – For hints on how to avoid Hantavirus infection see http://www.health.wyo.gov/news.aspx?NewsID=506

Illinois 11/04/11 Aurora, Kane County: Local officials warn area pet owners of a recent series of coyote attacks. See http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/aurora-warning-coyote-attacks-pets-20111104

Kansas 11/03/11 Leavenworth, Leavenworth County: Residents express concern about growing coyote population and city officials consider adding them to an ordinance that allows bow hunting for deer within city limits. See http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/03/leavenworth-considering-plan-to-deal-with-coyote-boom/

Illinois 11/03/11 St. Charles, Kane County: A 63-year-old woman recently became the county’s first case of West Nile Virus this year. The state has reported 30 human cases of the virus so far this year, including several fatalities. See http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111103/news/711039694/

New York 11/04/11 Suffolk County: Health officials confirmed two human cases of West Nile Virus this week; one in Islip and the other in Huntington, bringing the county’s total number of human cases to three this year. See http://hauppauge.patch.com/articles/west-nile-virus-detected-in-islip-huntington-residents

CDC Reports:

 CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending October 29, 2011:

Published November 4, 2011 / 60(43); 1496-1509

Anaplasmosis . . . 7 . . . New York (2), Oklahoma, Vermont, Virginia (3),

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

Ehrlichiosis . . . 6 . . . Florida, Maryland, New York, North Carolina (2), Tennessee,

Giardiasis . . . 183 . . . Alabama (3), Arizona (3), Arkansas (5), California (33), Colorado (16), Florida (22), Idaho (4), Iowa (2), Louisiana, Maine (3), Maryland (4), Michigan (7), Missouri (8), Montana, Nebraska (3),  New York (26), Ohio (12), Oregon, Pennsylvania (7), South Carolina (2), Vermont (5), Virginia (3), Washington (12),

Lyme Disease . . .  358 . . . Connecticut, Delaware (3), Florida (6), Idaho, Maryland (12), New Jersey (86), New York (102), North Dakota,  Pennsylvania (116), Vermont (2),  Virginia (22), Washington (6),

Q Fever (Chronic) . . . 1 . . . Maine, 

Rabies (Animal) . . . 26 . . . Arkansas (2), Nebraska (2), New York (5), North Dakota (2), Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Virginia (11),

Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 9 . . . Arkansas (2), Florida, Indiana, Tennessee (2), Virginia (3),

Tularemia . . . 2 . . . Washington (2).

Atlanta attracting the BEARS but they’re not in town for a game ~ Missouri asking HUNTERS to help monitor DEER for CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ~ Texas town reports six MOUNTAIN LION sightings in a week ~ a RABIES report from North Carolina ~ CDC Reports: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending October 22, 2011.

Black bear in dumpster trash. Photo by Mass. Wildlife.

Georgia 10/21/11 afc.com: by David Ibata – State wildlife biologists say black bears like the one that made himself at home this summer in the northern Perimeter area could be finding suburban Atlanta a nice, cozy place to settle down. So far, there are anecdotal signs pointing to the beginnings of a year-around bear presence in the suburbs. “We’re seeing indicators that it’s happening here and there,” Adam Hammond, wildlife biologist for the state Department of Natural Resources, told the AJC in a phone interview. “Every piece of information we collect about bears points to the same thing, that their population has grown tremendously” in the North Georgia mountains, Hammond said — and with that comes pressure on younger animals to migrate south. One ursine in particular became a local celebrity, sighted by police and residents in August in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Johns Creek and unincorporated Fulton County near Roswell. Authorities speculated the bear had wandered in from the west, following the Chattahoochee River upstream. Eventually, they said, the animal would return to its home territory in the mountains. Maybe he did; sightings fell off after the first week in September. And maybe he didn’t.

DNR estimates that Georgia is home to at least 5,100 bears. About 4,000 live in North Georgia, up from roughly 1,200 four to five years ago, Hammond said. Researchers say the animals are expanding nationwide, and have shown up in such other areas as Birmingham and Tulsa, Okla. Locally, they’ve been sighted across the northern tier of suburbs, in such counties as Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett. “If you’re somewhere around Canton or the north side of Atlanta, you’re more likely to have bears than the south side [of the region],” Hammond said. “But there’s really nowhere in the state where I would be surprised to see a bear.”

Why the boom in bruins? No one knows for certain, but it’s possibly because the animals aren’t as widely hunted as they once were. There was bear poaching, and many property owners considered the animals varmints and shot them whenever they encountered them, but both forms of killing have declined. The animals can be taken legally in Georgia during bear season, but legal hunting hasn’t kept pace. So, rapid population growth is putting pressure on young male bears. Kicked out of their dens in their second year by their mothers, and possibly pushed out of the North Georgia mountains by older dominant males, youngsters may be seeking new territory to the south. And to a bear, the Atlanta area is a big all-you-can-eat buffet of bird seed, pet food and garbage. “That’s one of the biggest problems with bears in metro area,” Hammond said. “If we get a bear in the mountains getting into someone’s trash … usually we can deal with it by getting residents to remove food sources.” “But in the metro area, with people and pets and houses and bird feeders, there’s just so much there, it’s just an endless supply of food.”

So how can people tell if there’s a bear out there taking up permanent residence? “This time of the year, if there are bears hanging out in the metro area, chances are they live there,” Hammond said. Another tip-off, he said, would be a known den site — none have been reported yet in the metro area — “or if people see sows (female bears) with cubs in the spring.” There has never been an unprovoked bear attack on a human in Georgia. But danger could arise if bears become accustomed to humans supplying them with food. “The best thing people can do is just basically allow the bear to remain wild,” Hammond said. “Don’t do anything to tame the bears. Don’t feed the bears on purpose. Don’t allow the bears to continually get into your garbage or bird feeders.” “Bears have an innate fear of people, but over time with food, they can lose that fear, and that’s not a good thing for the bear or for people. You just need to respect them and give them their space.”

Missouri 10/28/11 mo.gov: News Release – As part of its ongoing efforts to monitor free-ranging deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD), the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is asking hunters for help. Hunters who harvest adult deer in Linn, Macon and parts of Adair, Chariton, Randolph and Sullivan counties during the early youth portion and first two weekends of the November firearms portion are being asked to take their deer to the a roadside collection site for tissue sampling. For dates and locations see http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-needs-hunter-help-cwd-sampling-harvested-deer

Texas 10/28/11 Lorenzo, Crosby County: Six mountain lion sightings reported in the past week, including one from Lorenzo Police Chief Henry Benitez, and another from Police Officer Daniel Patterson. See http://www.kcbd.com/story/15901721/mountain-lions-spotted-in-lorenzo-ralls

North Carolina 10/28/11 Morehead City, Cartaret County: Several dogs quarantined after bitten by raccoon that tested positive for rabies. See http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/oct/28/carteret-county-dogs-quarantined-after-second-case-ar-1550484/

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending October 22, 2011:

Published October 28, 2011 / 60(42); 1461-1474

Anaplasmosis . . . 11 . . . Arkansas, Florida, New York (9),  

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

Ehrlichiosis . . . 4 . . . Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Virginia,

Giardiasis . . . 207 . . . Arizona, Arkansas (2), California (24), Colorado (21), Florida (35), Georgia (4), Idaho (3), Iowa (2), Louisiana, Maine (5), Maryland (2), Missouri (8), Montana, Nebraska,  New York (49), North Dakota, Ohio (19), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (14), South Carolina (4), Virginia, Washington (4),

HME/HGE Undetermined . . . 2 . . . Indiana (2),   

Lyme Disease . . .  311 . . . California, Delaware (5), Florida, Maryland (17), Michigan,  New Jersey (71), New York (80), North Carolina (3),  North Dakota (9),  Pennsylvania (112), Vermont (4),  Virginia (2), West Virginia (5),

Q Fever (Acute) . . . 1 . . . Michigan,

Rabies (Animal) . . . 31 . . . Alabama, California (2), Kansas, Maine, New York (8), Ohio, Puerto Rico (2), Virginia (13), West Virginia (2),

Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 1 . . . South Carolina,

Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 14 . . . Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee (2), Virginia (4), West Virginia,

Trichinosis . . . 1 . . . California.

Visitors at California’s Riley Wilderness Park report MOUNTAIN LION sightings ~ New Jersey HORSE with EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS euthanized ~ Texas coastal waters closed to most SHELLFISH harvesting due to RED TIDE ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from California (2), & Florida ~ and a RABIES report from Massachusetts ~ CDC Reports: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending October 15, 2011.

Mountain Lion. Courtesy National Park Service.

California 10/26/11 Trabuco Canyon, Orange County: Two mountain lion sightings reported at Thomas R. Riley Wilderness Park not far from Wagon Wheel Elementary School. See http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/mountain-lion-sighted-orange-county.html

New Jersey 10/27/11 Gloucester County: A horse that contracted Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been euthanized. Viral diseases affecting horses’ neurological systems must be reported to the state veterinarian at 609-292-3965 within 48 hours of diagnosis. See http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=93471

Texas 10/26/11 dshs.state.tx.us: News Release – The Texas Department of State Health Services announced today that oyster harvesting in all Texas coastal waters is closed due to red tide, an algal bloom of Karenia brevis. Red tide has been detected along the Texas coastline from Brownsville to Galveston. As a result, all Texas coastal waters are closed to the commercial and recreational harvesting of oysters, clams and mussels until further notice. Normally, the public can harvest oysters from Nov. 1 through April 30. The algae contain a toxin that can accumulate in the tissue of oysters, clams, mussels and whelks and cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, or NSP, in humans who consume them. NSP symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, dilated pupils and tingling sensations in the extremities.

DSHS is advising people not to harvest and eat oysters, clams, or mussels from Texas coastal waters. Oysters can be toxic without any indication of red tide such as discolored waters, respiratory irritation or dead fish. People are also advised not to harvest and eat whelks from Texas waters as these species also accumulate toxin from the red tide organism. The warning does not apply to other types of seafood such as shrimp, finfish, crabs or to commercial seafood products from other states or countries. Oysters in the market place that were harvested before the red tide began or from other states are not affected by this algal bloom.

The red tide toxin also can become aerosolized and cause coughing and irritation of the throat and eyes. People with respiratory conditions such as asthma may experience more pronounced symptoms. Respiratory symptoms usually subside when affected people leave the red tide areas. DSHS will continue to monitor the red tide and will open areas to harvesting when it is safe to do so. For the latest information on the opening and closing of oyster harvest areas, call DSHS at 1-800-685-0361. For information on red tide, visit http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/seafood/redtide.shtm

Tanager on CDC's West Nile Virus mortality database.

California 10/26/11 West Hollywood, Los Angeles County: A dead bird tested positive for West Nile Virus. There have been at least 128 separate reports of the virus being found in mosquitoes, birds, or squirrels in the county this year. See http://www.bilerico.com/2011/10/health_dead_bird_with_west_nile_virus_found_in_wes.php

California 10/26/11 Marin-Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District: Six mosquitoes in Ellis Creek area tested positive for West Nile Virus. See http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20111026/COMMUNITY/111029653/1036/business?Title=Mosquitoes-with-West-Nile-Virus-found-at-Ellis-Creek

Florida 10/26/11 Brooksville, Hernando County: A second sentinel chicken has tested positive for West Nile Virus this year. Both chickens are from a flock kept in the Royal Highlands area. See http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2011/october/334023/West-Nile-virus-detected-in-chicken-in-Hernando-County?cid=rss

Massachusetts 10/25/11 Brookline, Norfolk County: A Rabies Advisory issued after one raccoon tests positive for the virus, and another raccoon that more recently attacked a pet is suspected of being rabid. See http://brookline.patch.com/articles/rabies-alert-rabies-suspected-in-brookline-area-raccoon

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending October 15, 2011:

Published October 21, 2011 / 60(41); 1430-1443

Anaplasmosis . . . 2 . . . Maryland (2),

Babesiosis . . . 5 . . . New York (5),

Brucellosis . . . 1 . . . Arizona, 

Ehrlichiosis . . . 1 . . . Arkansas,

Giardiasis . . . 200 . . . Arizona, Arkansas (4), California (19), Colorado (22), Florida (24), Georgia (14), Idaho, Maine, Maryland (7), Massachusetts (7), Michigan (5),  Missouri (6), Nebraska (3), New York (39), Ohio (11), Oregon (7), Pennsylvania (13), South Carolina (2), Vermont, Virginia, Washington (11), Wisconsin,

Lyme Disease . . .  314 . . . California (2), Delaware (5), Florida (4), Maine, Maryland (41), Massachusetts, Michigan,  New Jersey (90), New York (60), North Dakota (7),  Pennsylvania (97), South Carolina,  Virginia (4),

Rabies (Animal) . . . 38 . . . Alabama (2), California, Michigan (2), New York (10), Virginia (21), West Virginia (2),

Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 5 . . . Georgia (5),

Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 9 . . . Arkansas, Florida (2), Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia,

Tularemia . . . 1 . . . Missouri,

Maine health officials investigating case of H3N2 SWINE FLU ~ and WEST NILE VIRUS reports from Connecticut, & Louisiana ~ Canada: Saskatchewan man dies of HANTAVIRUS ~ CDC Reports: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending October 8, 2011.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Maine 10/20/11 wlbz2.com: by Ken Christian – Maine health officials are investigating a case of a young boy coming down with what is being described as an unusual strain of influenza. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the 7- or 8-year-old boy from Cumberland County came down with flu-like symptoms in early October, not long after being exposed to pigs at an agricultural fair. State Epidemiologist Stephen Sears says the H3N2 swine-origin strain of influenza was confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as genetically similar to a strain identified in three cases in Pennsylvania and one case in Indiana. Sears said the boy was treated by his family doctor and is back up and playing. He said health experts don’t expect the new strain to pose a widespread threat.

Connecticut 10/21/11 Durham, Middlesex County: Dead CROWS found on town-owned White’s Farm property tested positive for WEST NILE VIRUS. See http://www.courant.com/community/durham/hc-durham-open-space-1022-20111021,0,3004213.story

Louisiana 10/21/11 St. Tammany Parish: DHH confirms two new HUMAN cases of WEST NILE VIRUS. See http://www.katc.com/news/dhh-confirms-two-new-cases-of-west-nile-virus/

Canada:

Deer mouse.

Saskatchewan 10/21/11 gov.sk.ca: News Release – Saskatchewan residents are urged to take precautions to avoid infection with hantavirus, especially when cleaning up rodent infested barns, homes or other buildings in their communities, following a recent hantavirus fatality in West Central Saskatchewan. Humans are most often exposed to the virus by breathing in air particles contaminated by deer mouse saliva, urine or droppings containing infectious hantaviruses. There have been 21 cases of Hantavirus reported in Saskatchewan since 1994, including four cases in 2004, one case in 2008, one case in 2010 and one this year. For more detailed information about Hantavirus and how to prevent infection, please visit the Ministry of Health’s website at www.health.gov.sk.ca/hantavirus. Guidelines for workplaces with heavy infestations are available at http://www.lrws.gov.sk.ca/hantavirus-disease-guidelines-protecting-workers-public. – For complete News Release go to http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=7957b012-c18d-4a99-9d3f-a04919bbf86c

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending October 8, 2011:

Published October 14, 2011 / 60(40); 1397-1411

Anaplasmosis . . . 19 . . . Nebraska, New York (18),

Babesiosis . . . 25 . . . New York (25),

Ehrlichiosis . . . 3 . . . Arkansas, New York, Virginia,

Giardiasis . . . 216 . . . Alabama, Arkansas (3), California (24), Delaware, Florida (29), Idaho, Iowa (5), Louisiana (2), Maine (3), Maryland (7), Massachusetts (8), Michigan (2),  Missouri (9), Montana (2), Nebraska (2), New York (53), North Dakota, Ohio (11), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (10), Puerto Rico (3), South Carolina (2), Vermont (11), Virginia (2), Washington (21), Wisconsin (3), Wyoming,

Hansen Disease (Leprosy) . . . 1 . . . California, 

Lyme Disease . . .  356 . . . California, Florida (2), Georgia (4), Maryland (7), Massachusetts, New Jersey (85), New York (143), Oregon, Pennsylvania (108), Virginia (4),

Rabies (Animal) . . . 20 . . . Alabama, Idaho, New York (6), Ohio (3), Virginia (7), West Virginia (2),

Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 4 . . . Georgia (3), Missouri,

Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 9 . . . Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri (3), Tennessee (2), Virginia,

Tularemia . . . 3 . . . California, Missouri, Virginia.

Alaska duck hunter narrowly escapes death-by-GRIZZLY ~ Connecticut committee releases TICK-BORNE (incl LYME) DISEASE report ~ Idaho family’s CAT tested positive for TULAREMIA ~ RABIES reports from North Carolina, & Ohio (2) ~ and WEST NILE VIRUS reports from California, & New Jersey ~ Follow-Up Reports: Wisconsin BLACK BEAR attack victim arrested for poaching last year ~ Travel Warnings: Zambia reports RABIES outbreak.

National Park Service photo.

Alaska 10/18/11 alaskadispatch.com: For Craig Medred’s lengthy and fascinating account of a duck hunter’s narrow escape from death-by-GRIZZLY just ten days ago in Alaska’s Portage Valley, go to http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/girdwood-duck-hunter-recounts-unbelievable-grizzly-attack

Connecticut 10/18/11 Newtown, Fairfield County: TICK-BORNE DISEASE Action Committee, with focus on LYME DISEASE, releases report after exhaustive study lasting three years. A majority recommend culling DEER herd, but some disagree. See http://newtown.patch.com/articles/committee-releases-deer-report-after-nearly-3-years-of-work

Idaho 10/14/11 Island Park: Family pet CAT tested positive for TULAREMIA.

See http://www.westyellowstonenews.com/news/article_02fceec6-f695-11e0-b752-001cc4c002e0.html

North Carolina 10/16/11 Reed, Davidson County: FOX carcass tested positive for RABIES. Two DOGS destroyed.   See http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20111016/NEWS/111019963

Ohio 10/16/11 Willoughby, Lake County: Three SKUNKS tested positive for RABIES. See http://www.stowsentry.com/news/article/5109793

Ohio 10/17/11 Twinsburg, Summit County: Family DOG dies of RABIES (RACCOON strain of virus) see http://www.twinsburgbulletin.com/news/article/5110887

California 10/13/11 Dixon, Solano County: American CROW tested positive for WEST NILE VIRUS. See http://www.thereporter.com/ci_19103043

New Jersey 10/18/11 Monmouth County: HORSE tested positive for WEST NILE VIRUS. See http://exa.gmnews.com/news/2011-10-20/Front_Page/Horse_contracts_West_Nile_Virus.html

Texas 10/18/11 Southeast Dallas and Denton: MOSQUITOES infected with WEST NILE VIRUS have been found in both areas. See http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2011/oct/18/west-nile-virus-found-southeast-dallas/

Follow-Up Reports:

(See October 11, 2011: Wisconsin officers kill wounded BLACK BEAR that attacked deer hunter; and October 12, 2011: Wisconsin authorities question report of BLACK BEAR attack.)

Wisconsin 10/17/11 northlandsnewscenter.com: by Zach Vavricka – According to a Superior Police report from 2010, Charlie Lehman was stopped by DNR officials with an untagged doe in the bed of his work truck. This happened after an anonymous caller tipped off authorities that Lehman was poaching deer at Connors Point in Wisconsin with a bow and arrow. After police stopped and searched Lehman’s truck they found a bow and quiver with one arrow missing; Lehman denied all claims saying he was target practicing, even though the arrows had broad tips that are meant for hunting. DNR officials followed him after the stop and observed going back to Conner’s Point to pick up the deer. He was then arrested and charged with having on untagged deer in his vehicle. Superior police say that if the case of the bear mauling turns out to be poaching, he could be charged with more than a basic hunting infraction. “This is a statute in the state of Wisconsin for obstructing an officer. That includes lying to a police officer who is doing their official work. So questioning someone about an incident and the lying to an officer is obstructing an officer.” said Superior Police Officer Matt Markon. Now according to DNR officials, Lehman has admitted to previous poaching offenses. His hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges were revoked for three years after being caught poaching last year. DNR officials say the investigation should be wrapped up at the end of this week. DNR officials say Charlie Lehman and his girlfriend, Tiffany Mallow, who claims to have shot the bear, haven’t been cooperating with authorities which has slowed the investigation.

Travel Warnings:

Zambia 10/15/11 allafrica.com: RABIES has broken out in Mansa District which has recorded 14 cases and one death in the recent past. District livestock officer Beatwell Mbewe said yesterday in Mansa that the 14 cases were recorded in Chembe area while one person died in Mwang’uni after being bitten by an infected dog. Mr Mbewe said rabies vaccine centres had been opened in Senama, Kapesha, Namandwe and Suburbs areas.

14-year-old Illinois hunter says he survived MOUNTAIN LION attack ~ Pennsylvania couple attacked by BLACK BEAR in their home ~ Two Californians succumb to WEST NILE VIRUS ~ New Mexico confirms two San Juan County women treated for TULAREMIA ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORTS: Yellowstone GRIZZLY linked to death of two HIKERS euthanized ~ TRAVEL WARNINGS for Costa Rica ~ CDC Reports: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending September 24, 2011 ~ AUTHOR’S NOTE.

Mountain lion preparing to pounce. Photo by Steve Jurvetson. Wikimedia Commons.

Illinois 10/03/11 connecttristates.com: by Brooke Hasch – A 14-year-old hunter says he (barely) escaped an attack from a mountain lion this weekend. Jeremiah Dice was bow-hunting on his family’s property in Baylis, Illinois in Pike County Saturday night when he says a mountain lion crossed his path. He says the lion attacked him not once but three separate times before Dice was able to injure it with a knife from his pocket. Dice was able to escape and run home with minor injuries thanks to his jacket and hat that protected him from most of the lion’s blows. “As he landed on me, my head hit the ground and I grabbed him by the throat. His mouth was open. He was trying to bite me. He used his paw to tear at my jacket and the other at my face,” said Dice. Dice says there was no mistaking his attacker for any other cat. He was treated and released from an area hospital. “I can’t sleep well at nights now. I have flashbacks. I’m just a different person,” said Dice. Officials with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are investigating the incident.

Pennsylvania 10/03/11 reuters.com: by Daniel Lovering –  A black bear chased a dog into a central Pennsylvania house on Monday, attacking and injuring a couple who lived there, an official said. The bear entered the house in Oliver Township, Perry County, “hot on the tracks” of the dog, which had been let out early this morning, said Jerry Feaser, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. An unidentified man who lived there tried to intercede and was bitten and scratched by the bear, he said. A woman then tried to get the bear away from him, but the animal turned on her and injured her too, Feaser said. The two were taken to a hospital in Harrisburg. Further details about their injuries were not immediately available. A Game Commission officer was searching the area around the house and planned to lay a trap, he said. Once captured, the animal may either be relocated or killed if it appears rabid. “Our suspicion — and I emphasize suspicion — is that this is most likely a female bear that had cubs in the area” and saw the dog as a threat, Feaser said. Another possibility, he said, was that the bear had rabies, which “makes mammals do strange things.” The incident was highly unusual. In all other reports of bears entering houses in Pennsylvania, the animal was searching for food, Feaser said.

California 10/03/11 kget.com: The Kern County Department of Public Health sadly announces the death of two Kern County residents from complications of a neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection. An 86 year-old male resident of Arvin and a 37 year old male resident of Bakersfield were confirmed with West Nile virus disease. “I am sad to report that we have lost two members of our community to West Nile Virus,” said Claudia Jonah, M.D., Health Officer. “It is necessary to remember that depending on who becomes infected, there are occasions in which this illness can be deadly.” Contact your local mosquito and vector control agency if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or work. For more information about West Nile virus and to report green pools in Kern County, call the Kern Public Health West Nile virus hotline at 1-877-81-VIRUS (1-877-818-4787). To report dead birds or squirrels, call the California Department of Public Health West Nile virus line at 1 877 WNV BIRD; or on line at http://westnile.ca.gov.

New Mexico 10/03/11 daily-times.com: Two San Juan County women were hospitalized with Tularemia in September, the New Mexico health department announced Friday. The illness can be life-threatening, though it is usually treated with antibiotics.  It is caused by a bacteria found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits and hares. Commons symptoms are fever, not eating, lethargy and swollen lymph glands. “I would encourage people in San Juan County and around the state to follow the same precautions they would to avoid the plague,” Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Catherine Torres said in a release. “Don’t handle sick or dead rodents, don’t allow pets to roam and hunt, and use a tick and flea product on your pets.”Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics so prompt evaluation by a physician is required as tularemia can be fatal in a small percentage of cases.”

Follow-Up Reports:

Yellowstone National Park 10/03/11 kbzk.com: (See Aug 31, 2011 Post: Yellowstone hiker found Friday was killed by a GRIZZLY BEAR; and Sept 21, 2011 post: Report released on fatal GRIZZLY attack in July on Yellowstone’s Wapiti Lake Trail.) A grizzly bear sow and two cubs captured by Yellowstone National Park have been linked to the scene of the recent mauling death of a hiker in the Hayden Valley. Results from genetic (DNA) tests obtained from the bear hair and scat samples indicate the 250-pound, 6 to 7 year-old sow was present at the scene on the Mary Mountain Trail where hiker John Wallace’s body was recovered August 26. This is the same bear that was responsible for the deal of a hiker Brian Matayoshi during a defensive attack on July 6 on the Wapiti Lake Trail. Rangers and an Interagency Board of review determined Mr. Matayoshi’s death near Canyon Village on the Wapiti Lake Trail resulted from a defensive attack by the sow protecting her cubs. “We will more than likely never know what role, if any, the sow might have played in Mr. Wallace’s death due to the lack of witnesses and presence of multiple bears at the incident scene,” said Superintendent Dan Wenk. “But because the DNA analysis indicates the same bear was present at the scene of both fatalities, we euthanized her to eliminate the risk of future interaction with Yellowstone visitors and staff.”

The adult female grizzly was captured on Wednesday, September 28. Her two cubs were captured Thursday September 29 and placed in the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana. The sow was euthanized on Sunday morning, October 2.  Grizzly bear cubs typically adapt successfully to captivity. Adult bears that are removed from the wild do not adapt well to captivity.In the Wallace incident, Yellowstone officials determined that at least nine grizzly bears were feeding on two bison carcasses in the area, including one carcass which was located 150 yards from where Mr. Wallace was hiking alone on the Mary Mountain Trail. Seventeen bear “daybeds” were also found in the same vicinity. Capture operations, reconnaissance flights, and DNA sampling and testing will continue through the fall. Any future management decisions will be made on a case by case basis for any additional bears that are captured and provide a DNA link to the scene. Hikers are encouraged to travel in groups of three or more, make noise on the trail and carry bear spray. Visitors are reminded that park regulations require people to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards away from all other large animals.

Travel Warnings:

Costa Rica 10/02/11 courant.com: A new outbreak of the mosquito-borne illness dengue fever has health officials worried. Through Sept. 10, the health ministry reported 6,650 cases of the illness, with more than four thousand of those infections occurring on the Atlantic coast. By contrast, in all of 2010 the Atlantic coast reported only 1,000 cases. Limón province is now host to three of the four known strains of dengue, making it difficult to curb the illness’ spread. The government has taken efforts to spray for dengue-carrying mosquitoes, but the best way to protect oneself is simply to avoid mosquito breeding grounds, namely stagnant water, and to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending September 24, 2011:

Published September 30, 2011 / 60(38); 1322-1335

Anaplasmosis . . . 23 . . . New York (17), Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia (3),

Babesiosis . . . 8 . . . New York (7), Pennsylvania,

Brucellosis . . . 1 . . . Pennsylvania, 

Ehrlichiosis . . . 13 . . . Maryland, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma (10),

Giardiasis . . . 245 . . . Alabama (2), Arkansas (3), California (25), Colorado (25), Florida (25), Georgia (8), Idaho, Iowa, Maine (3), Maryland (4), Michigan (2),  Missouri (15), Montana (3), Nebraska (3), New Mexico, New York (50), North Dakota (12), Ohio (23), Oregon (7), Pennsylvania (23), South Carolina, Vermont (2), Virginia (3), Wisconsin (3),

HME/HGE Undetermined . . . 2 . . . New York, Virginia, 

Lyme Disease . . .  372 . . . California (4), Delaware (8), Florida (6), Maryland (12), Michigan (2), New Jersey (84), New York (138), Pennsylvania (101), South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia (9), West Virginia (6),

Q Fever (Acute) . . . 1 . . . Missouri, 

Rabies (Animal) . . . 27 . . . Alabama, California (4), Idaho, Kansas, New York (12), Ohio, Virginia (7),

Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 1 . . . Oklahoma,

Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 36 . . . Alabama, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma (17), Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee (8), Texas, Virginia (5),

Tularemia . . . 1 . . . Missouri,  

West Nile Virus (Neuroinvasive) . . . 1 . . . Michigan.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Posts will be limited

through October 15

due to

carpal tunnel syndrome.