Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2019

AUTHORS. Taline M. Holman, Thomas J. Scroggs, Kelly A. Grussendorf – University of Dubuque.

ABSTRACT. Though Lyme disease is primarily known as a disease of the northeast, it continues to increase throughout the Midwest. There has been a significant increase in the number of reported cases in recent years in the state of Iowa. In 2015 Dubuque County ranked third in Iowa for Lyme cases, only behind Johnson and Linn counties. To get a better understanding of the prevalence and transmission of B. burgdorferi in eastern Iowa as well as the factors contributing to the prevalence of the disease we trapped forest-based ground-dwelling rodents and performed tick dragging to determine their exposure rates. A pilot study was conducted in 2016 where 84% of captured rodents carried B. burgdorferi. All captures occurred at a single location and included Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mouse), Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) and Tamias striatus (eastern chipmunk). During 2017, 91 rodents were captured from four different locations and included P. leucopus, P. maniculatus, Microtus pennsylvanicus (meadow vole) and Zapus hudsonius (meadow jumping mouse). Current work is being carried out for 2018 collections includes eight locations. During 2017 and currently in 2018 Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged ticks) were collected and are being tested for the presence of B. burgdorferi via PCR analysis. Each year’s results will be compared to the first year as a basis and analysis will be done to correlate ecological factors influencing the habitat of captured rodents and ticks. We will also be comparing sites based on their geographical distance to the Mississippi River as well as the watersheds that they are in. This project will allow for us to determine the prevalence of the B. burgdorferi in Iowa rodents and ticks, and will also provide information about the role habitat plays in the spread of this infectious disease.

AUTHORS. Emily K. Tucker, Dominique Krason, Cory D. Suski – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT. White grub (Postodiplostomum minimum) is a common parasitic trematode in freshwater fishes, especially bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). This study examines the impacts of a severe white grub outbreak in bluegill sunfish from a pond in Urbana, Illinois. 110 infected bluegill were examined. We noted that many of the affected bluegill had small red sores on their fins and bodies, and the number of sores was correlated with the intensity of trematode metacercariae on the internal organs. Some fish also showed signs of cataracts or eye damage. The most heavily affected organs were the heart and posterior kidney, though the head kidney, liver, and spleen also contained many metacercariae. Histologically, the metacercariae caused morphological damage to the internal organs that would likely reduce functionality of the organs, especially in the heart and kidney. Hematocrit in the infected fish was slightly lower, corresponding with the damage induced on the hematopoietic organs. Our results suggest that white grub can cause severe damage to the circulatory and immune systems of bluegill, and fisheries managers should be aware of the signs of severe outbreaks in ponds.

AUTHORS. Nancy K. Businga, Wildlife Disease Specialist/Health Lab Manager - WM/Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Jim Fitzpatrick, CEO, Madison Environmental Resourcing Inc.

ABSTRACT. Poster targeted to Field Researchers and Park Rangers.Don't Throw These in the Trash Bin:- Needles- Lancets- Sharps- Scalpels- Used DartsDo Use a Certified Biohazard Disposal Company to:Incinerate Contaminated Research MaterialsProperly Dispose Discarded Needles Found in Public SpacesPickup and Mailback Options Available From Certifed Biohazard DIsposal Companies. Select A System that Provides Cradle-to-Grave Documentation.

AUTHORS. Laurie Graber, Ohio Division of Wildlife

ABSTRACT. Ohio’s first Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) positive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was shot on a shooting preserve in Holmes County, October 2014. Since then, 93 escaped cervids have been documented and 85 tested for CWD. Of the 93 escapes, 45 had official United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ID tags. Forty seven (47) escaped cervids were traced to an owner with the help of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). Ohio state law requires any escaped cervid to be reported within 48 hours. However, not all captive deer are required to be marked and not all deer that escape are reported which makes it difficult to know exactly how many escaped deer are on the landscape. Fallow deer (Dama dama) are a newly emerging threat that have little regulatory oversight in Ohio. Although fallow deer are not a CWD susceptible species they can carry bTB and can displace native deer. Furthermore, many cervid farmers that own fallow deer likely own other CWD susceptible species. Given the number of escaped cervids and related disease concerns, we began tracking, monitoring, and recording distances using a variety of means. We found that the average distance traveled by those escapes for which reliable estimates were available (n=the number that is used to generate the average of 4.8km) was 4.8 kilometers. This is the distance from the facility where the deer escaped from to where the deer was ultimately collected. The final disposition of escapes reported to the ODA is not always available. Some may die of natural causes in the wild while others might get harvested and go unreported. Working with ODA, the captive cervid industry, and the legislature is needed to ensure Ohio’s wild deer herd remains disease free.

AUTHORS. Angela N. Fletcher, Timothy C. Carter Ph.D., Heather Bruns Ph.D. – Ball State University

ABSTRACT. Biologists have an increasing interest in hantavirus throughout the Midwestern United States due to its potential negative implications on humans. Understanding the prevalence of this epizootic virus throughout the environment is a priority for the safety of biologists that work with small mammals but also represents concerns for public health in general. Peromyscus sp. are the main vector for the spread of the virus in the Midwest US. Recently high prevalence rates of hantavirus were documented in one location in Indiana.  It is unclear if these prevalence rates are localized or wide spread. We plan to look at the presence of hantavirus in the Muncie area in hope of gaining a better understanding to the extent of hantavirus prevalence on the landscape.  During the month of November 2017, we deployed Sherman traps to catch mice on a single property at Ball State University. Efforts were focused on a 50 acre restored prairie using 60-meter grids established throughout 15 prairie management plots to sample the presence of hantavirus in Peromyscus sp. throughout the prairie.Traps were checked daily and general morphological characteristics were collected on captured individuals. We also collected blood samples from captured individuals to determine the presence of hantavirus within the community. Our trapping efforts yielded 23 Peromyscus sp. throughout the study. Nine blood samples were collected from captured individuals. All nine samples collected were negative for hantavirus. We plan to increase our sampling effort and continue to collect data in the fall of 2018. The results of this research may guide management decisions for future hantavirus surveying.

AUTHORS. Jennifer Swan, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; Lindsey Long, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Tim Yoshino, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine; Elizabeth Elsmo, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

ABSTRACT. In September of 2017, two orphaned juvenile black bear cubs in a captive rehabilitation facility presented with clinical signs of coughing and cyanosis. Within days, nine of nine cohoused bears were exhibiting dyspnea, coughing, and lethargy. Despite therapeutic intervention, two bears died and were submitted to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for necropsy. Gross and microscopic findings were consistent with severe catarrhal and eosinophilic tracheitis and bronchopneumonia caused by a nematode parasite. Molecular identification of the parasite Capillaria aerophilus was confirmed by semi-nested PCR targeting the Cox1NEM and CaerInt2F genes. Numerous eggs morphologically consistent with C. aerophilus were detected by fecal examination of both bears. Anthelminthic treatment of the remaining cohoused bears led to resolution of clinical signs. A number of wild carnivores can serve as definitive hosts of C. aerophilus, including black bears. Dogs and cats may also become infected, and there are rare reports in humans. Capillaria aerophilus has a direct life cycle, although earthworms can act as paratenic hosts.  While there is a single description of C. aerophilus-associated bronchopneumonia in wild black bears, this parasite has not been previously associated with an outbreak or fatalities in this species.