National Wildlife Disease Program

THE NWDP S YLVATIC PLAGUE UPDATE May 2011

I NSIDE THIS ISSUE : 2 0 1 0 P LAGUE S EROSURVEILLANCE IN W ILDLIFE

Plague serosurveillance 1 in wildlife—2010 Yersinia pestis is a Gram nega- propriate respiratory barriers. tive flea-borne bacterium and the

causative agent of plague. The Most common species 1 pathogen is traditionally de- Yersinia pestis has been docu- tested for plague in 2010 scribed as cycling between small mented to infect more than 200 mammal species, with a long- mammal species, and is thought term enzootic cycle and occa- to persist in a small number of Wildlife plague serology 2 sional epizootic cycling or out- rodents that are relatively re- results by state: 2010 breaks. The enzootic cycle of sistant to disease. It has been plague is maintained among postulated that plague continu- rodent hosts and their fleas; ally cycles, even among suscep- tible species, but that the loss of Collaborations with state 3 however, transmission to hu- mans and other mammals can a few rodents often goes unno- health departments on ticed. Carnivores and other spe- Plague occur through a flea bite or direct contact and often results in se- cies regularly exposed to plague vere morbidity and mortality. likely mount an immune- response that typically averts Plague surveillance for 3 mortality, but these species are 2011— The future Coyote Plague was introduced to the not believed to maintain the U.S. in the early 1900s during es is low, undiagnosed infec- infection nor directly contribute the Third Pandemic and is now tions can still be fatal and there to its transmission. Humans, found throughout much of the NWDP Contacts 4 is the risk that a pneumonic along with felids, lagomorphs, western U.S. Although it appears plague infection can spread prairie dogs and other rodents to exist at very low levels, human rapidly from person to person in are known to succumb to severe infections and wildlife mortality the absence of disease recogni- Y. pestis infections. events still occur every year. tion and implementation of ap- (Continued on page 2) While the number of human cas-

T ABLE 1 : M OST C OMMON S PECIES T ESTED FOR P LAGUE IN 2010

Total Species Common Name Negative Positive Seroprevalence Collected

Taxidea taxus badger 23 20 3 13.04%

Puma concolor mountain lion 45 40 5 11.11%

Canis latrans coyote 3643 3300 343 9.42%

Lynx rufus bobcat 22 20 2 9.09%

Urocyon cinereoargenteus gray fox 14 13 1 7.14%

Artwork: Erika Kampe Ursus americanus black bear 25 24 1 4.00%

Wildlife Services THE NWDP Sylvatic Plague Update May 2011 Page 2

T ABLE 2 : W ILDLIFE P LAGUE S EROLOGY R ESULTS BY STATE - 2010

State Total Collected Negative Positive Seroprevalence Arizona 449 446 3 0.67% California 1 1 0 0.00% Colorado 359 320 39 10.86% Florida 9 9 0 0.00% Hawaii 9 9 0 0.00% Idaho 160 146 14 8.75% Indiana 1 1 0 0.00% Kansas 27 27 0 0.00% Minnesota 1 1 0 0.00% Montana 1001 937 64 6.39% Nebraska 143 138 5 3.50% New Mexico 1062 910 152 14.31% Nevada 299 274 25 8.36% Oklahoma 51 49 2 3.92% Texas 531 528 3 0.56% Utah 320 279 41 12.81% Virginia 1 1 0 0.00% Washington 1 1 0 0.00% West Virginia 1 1 0 0.00% Wyoming 110 95 15 13.64%

(Plague serosurveillance, continued diet and are known scaven- resulted in unprecedented substantial plague activity. from page 1) gers, essentially sampling from numbers of animals being Additional samples submitted the environment while coming screened for plague from at the end of 2010 are still Wildlife disease surveillance into contact with multiple ro- across the western U.S. The being tested and will soon be provides data on plague activi- dent species and their fleas. NWDP and the CDC tested added to this dataset. The ty by testing species that typi- Since they cover large distanc- 4,536 wildlife samples col- NWDP also maintains a data- cally do not develop symptoms es, coyotes can act as sentinels lected in 2010 for plague base that has wildlife surveil- or have limited clinical signs of for plague by consuming ro- exposure. Coyotes accounted lance data from the previous infection for Y. pestis antibod- dents across space and time for 3,643 of these samples five years, including data from ies. These species do, howev- (although our detection ability and 9.4% had detectable additional states and species. er, mount an antibody re- is dependent upon length of plague antibodies. Substan- This report only focuses on sponse. Antibody presence antibody signal). Sampling a tial plague exposure was 2010 collections. Data from shows that the animal was small number of wide-ranging seen in other carnivorous the intensive 2010 sampling exposed to plague at some carnivores provides a broader species as well, including campaign, combined with the point in the past. Carnivores, snapshot of disease activity mountain lions (11.11%), long-term dataset from the in particular, can offer valua- when compared to sampling a bobcats (9.09%), and badg- previous 5 years, will continue ble data on plague activity and large number of rodents. Ro- ers (13.04%). to be analyzed and will hopeful- the National Wildlife Disease dent seroprevalence is often ly provide more information on Program (NWDP) wildlife sur- extremely even in plague en- New Mexico had the highest Y. pestis dynamics in the Unit- veillance has primarily focused demic areas. overall seroprevalence ed States. on coyotes. (14.31%, all species includ- The NWDP in conjunction with ed) and this area has been For more information, contact Coyotes are adaptable, wide- the Centers for Disease Control considered a plague hot-spot Sarah Bevins: ranging, opportunistic omni- and Prevention (CDC) worked for some time. Colorado vores found throughout the on an intensive wildlife sam- (10.86%), Utah (12.81%), and [email protected] U.S. They also have a broad pling campaign for 2010 that Wyoming (13.64%) also had THE NWDP Sylvatic Plague Update May 2011 Page 3

C OLLABORATIONS WITH S TATE H EALTH D EPARTMENTS ON P LAGUE

Part of the NWDP mission is to plague activity in Washington. graphic coverage and in- information to health care pro- collaborate with state and oth- Similar to the NWDP, a majority creased sample numbers for viders and veterinarians about er federal agencies, along with of their samples come from plague surveillance. These data increased plague risk, as well non-governmental organiza- carnivores. Combining plague can be used to alert local gov- as to residents about plague tions and officials from prevention. other countries, to pro- mote and assist with Correspondingly, the wildlife disease moni- willingness of state toring programs world- health departments to wide. Recently, biolo- also share their data gists with the NWDP with the NWDP provides and multiple state additional coverage for health departments plague surveillance at have initiated new col- region-wide scales. laborations to share The additional results data on plague sero- also provide more com- prevalence in wildlife. plete geographic cover- age over time. This Several state health more robust data set departments in the allows the NDWP to run western U.S. conduct broad-scale analyses their own programs Hemagglutination assay used to identify the presence of plague antibodies. Wells on plague data from across the that monitor plague in wildlife. with a bead at the bottom are negative, wells with diffuse coloration are positive and western U.S., examining demo- For example, the Washington dilution across wells reveals the titer. graphic, temporal, and spatial State Department of Health, in trends of plague dynamics in cooperation with the Centers data collected by USDA-AHPIS ernment officials to initiate wildlife over time. Additional for Disease Control and Preven- wildlife services biologists with prevention efforts in communi- collaborations are underway tion, has sampled small groups the Washington State Depart- ties when elevated plague ac- with Texas and Nevada. of wildlife each year, for the ment of Health plague data- tivity is detected in wildlife. past 24 years, to monitor base provides greater geo- Data can also provide timely

P LAGUE S URVEILLANCE FOR 2011 — T HE F UTURE

The NWDP has partnered retrospective and geographical- with the Centers for Disease ly targeted analysis as new Control and Prevention (CDC) information and concerns arise. for the last six years to moni- Periodic testing of surveillance tor wildlife for exposure to the samples can also conserve plague bacteria, Yersinia limited financial resources in pestis. The CDC has tested areas where disease has been more than 4,500 Nobuto longstanding and prevention strips collected from wildlife approaches are limited. across the country in 2010, and even more results are expected from samples sub- While there are only a limited mitted later in the year; how- number of recognized human ever, the CDC will only test a plague cases in the U.S., expo- limited sample number in sure in wildlife is substantial and an increase in human in- 2011. fections has been seen follow- ing epizootic conditions in wild- Testing in 2011 will be lim- life. The persistence of plague ited to regions where plague Coyote in wildlife requires continued transmission dynamics are vigilance by public health offi- currently unknown because of arises and any samples that Archive. While archived sample cials, and wildlife serosurveil- limited surveillance during pre- are not tested by the CDC up- testing is of limited utility in lance continues to provide valu- vious years. Sample collection on submission will be stored in proactive disease management able information on the dis- can still continue at previous the National Nobuto Storage it does offer opportunities for ease. levels or whenever opportunity THE NWDP Sylvatic Plague Update May 2011 Page 4

I NTERESTED IN A DDITIONAL P LAGUE S URVEILLANCE D ATA FOR Y OUR S TATE ?

We will be happy to put you in touch with the wildlife disease biologist in your state. Each wildlife disease biologist works closely with state, county, city and tribal entities to improve disease surveillance with the ultimate goal of improving and safeguarding local wildlife, livestock, and human health.

For more information on the Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program in your state, please call 866-4 USDA WS, or contact the following staff:

National Wildlife Disease Program

Tom DeLiberto 970.266.6088 National Coordinator Sarah Bevins 970.266.6211 Wildlife Disease Biologist Tom Gidlewski 970.266.6361 Assistant Coordinator Emily Blizzard 970.266.6072 Biological Science Technician Dale Nolte 970.266.6049 Assistant Coordinator Amelia Lavelle 970.266.6011 Administrative Support Assistant Brandon Schmit 970.266.6079 Wildlife Disease Biologist Mary Kimball 970.980.1546 Budget Analyst Kerri Pedersen 970.266.6272 Wildlife Disease Biologist Kirsten Kampe 970.266.6361 Office Automation Clerk, Editor John Baroch 970.266.6308 Wildlife Disease Biologist For All-Hazard

Emergencies Mark Lutman 970.266.6077 Wildlife Disease Biologist Involving Wildlife Call: 970.266.6363 Dennis Kohler 970.266.6072 Wildlife Disease Biologist or toll-free 1.877.303.6363

Prairie Dog Cage Trap

This report was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention