Understanding and Containing Chronic Wasting Disease
CWD is expanding geographically and increasing in prevalence.
CWD is expanding geographically and increasing in prevalence.
Wildlife Disease Management Tools
White-nose Syndrome Virulence
Fighting an Invasive Marine Threat to Coral Reefs
National Wildlife Disease Database
National Wildlife Health Center
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 our services.
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Honolulu Field Station
Honolulu Field Station
The NWHC HFS provides support to the natural resource communities of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin in the investigation of wildlife diseases.
News
Presumptive Candida Stomatitis in a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
Presumptive Candida Stomatitis in a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
A Tale of Two Islands and the Future of an Ocean Sentinel Seabird
A Tale of Two Islands and the Future of an Ocean Sentinel Seabird
EcoNews - Vol. 7 | Issue 2
EcoNews - Vol. 7 | Issue 2
Publications
Aspergillosis (Avian) case definition for wildlife Aspergillosis (Avian) case definition for wildlife
Diagnostic laboratories receive carcasses and samples for diagnostic evaluation and pathogen/toxin detection. Case definitions bring clarity and consistency to the evaluation process. Their use within and between organizations allows more uniform reporting of diseases and etiologic agents. The intent of a case definition is to provide scientifically based criteria for determining: (a) if...
Digging into soil: Effects of soil texture on RT-QuIC performance for environmental prion surveillance. Digging into soil: Effects of soil texture on RT-QuIC performance for environmental prion surveillance.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by infectious prions affecting wild and captive cervids. Transmission occurs directly between hosts or indirectly through contact with prion-contaminated environments. Soils, particularly those rich in clay, are hypothesized to enhance prion stability, retention, and bioavailability. Accurate detection of prions is...
Non-destructive sampling of larval amphibians shows tail tissues reflect whole-body methylmercury concentrations and trophic-related differences in bioaccumulation Non-destructive sampling of larval amphibians shows tail tissues reflect whole-body methylmercury concentrations and trophic-related differences in bioaccumulation
Mercury (Hg), and specifically methylmercury (MeHg), is a contaminant of global concern to humans and wildlife, but there is still limited understanding of its effects on many taxa. Amphibians are closely associated with water, where Hg is converted to MeHg, and high concentrations of MeHg can reduce survival of amphibians in the wild. However, limited non-lethal proxies exist for...
Science
Understanding and Containing Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious and fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting cervids (deer, elk, caribou, and moose) that is threatening the health and sustainability of cervid populations across North America. CWD is caused by misfolded proteins known as prions, which can be transmitted by direct contact or environmental exposure. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center conducts...
Tracking Chronic Wasting Disease Strains to Understand Transmission and Detect Emerging Threats
At least ten distinct chronic wasting disease (CWD) prion strains with unique biochemical properties affect disease transmission and host range, prompting development and validation of biochemical assays to surveil and track these strains in endemic regions like Wisconsin, with ongoing efforts to standardize these methods for epidemiological tracking and management of CWD variants .
Improving Deer Management Through Behavioral Science
Managing white-tailed deer populations is a major challenge for wildlife agencies across the Midwest, with implications for crop damage, vehicle collisions, and the spread of diseases such as chronic wasting disease (CWD). This six-year, multistate field experiment tests evidence-based behavioral strategies to increase hunter and landowner participation in deer management. The project will provide...