National Wildlife Health Center
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Welcome to the National Wildlife Health Center! Our mission is to advance wildlife health science for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment.
Explore Science to learn more about wildlife diseases, ongoing projects, the Honolulu Field Station, and services.
Explore Data and Tools to use WHISPers, wildlife bulletins, our field manual, CWD surveillance app, and more.
Science Spotlight: Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) has been confirmed for the first time in wild rabbits in the United States.
Learn MoreHonolulu Field Station
The NWHC HFS provides support to the natural resource communities of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin in the investigation of wildlife diseases.
Learn MoreNews
Pathology Case of the Month - Northern Sea Otter
Case History: An adult male 36.80 kg Northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) was found beached in a state park in Oregon, U.S.A., and died within an hour of the initial sighting.
The USGS One Health Approach to Wildlife Disease and Environmental Change
One Health is a collaborative approach – working at the local, regional, national, and global levels – with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. USGS researchers conduct surveillance and research to support a One Health approach to respond to zoonotic diseases and environmental change. ...
Save the Date: 2022 Wildlife Disease Association Conference in Madison, Wisconsin
The USGS National Wildlife Health Center is co-hosting the 70th Annual International Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association July 23-29, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Publications
Context dependency of disease-mediated competitive release in bat assemblages following white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) has caused dramatic declines of several cave-hibernating bat species in North America since 2006, which has increased the activity of non-susceptible species in some geographic areas or during times of night formerly occupied by susceptible species—indicative of disease-mediated competitive release (DMCR). Yet, this...
Bombaci, Sara; Russell, Robin E.; St. Germain, Michael J.; Dobony, Christopher A.; Ford, W. Mark; Loeb, Susan; Jachowski, David S. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of Asian fish tapeworm, Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) [syn. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi]
The Asian fish tapeworm (Schyzocotyle acheilognathi syn. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi) (AFT) is an invasive parasite that can infect many species of fish, although most hosts are primarily members of Cyprinidae. Pathogenicity has most often been reported in aquaculture settings in fry and fingerling stages of carp (Cyprinus spp.)....
Hofmeister, Erik K.; Georgousi, Fiona Antigoni; Lund, Melissa; Roderick, Constance; Choudhury, Anindo; Whelan, Gary; Cole, Rebecca A. Acute mortality in California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) and Santa Cruz long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum) caused by Ribeiroia ondatrae (Class: Trematoda)
In early September 2019, a morbidity and mortality event affecting California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense) and Santa Cruz long-toed salamanders (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum) in late stages of metamorphosis was reported at a National Wildlife Refuge in Santa Cruz County, California, U.S.A. During the postmortem disease...
Keller, Saskia; Roderick, Constance; Caris, Christopher; Grear, Daniel A.; Cole, Rebecca A.