Publications

No abstract available at this time

Individual disease outbreaks have killed many thousands of animals on numerous occasions. Tens of thousands of migratory birds have died in single die-offs with as many as 1,000 birds succumbing in 1 day. The ability to successfully combat such explosive situations is highly dependent on the readiness of field personnel to deal with them. Because many disease agents can spread through...

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) in green turtles Chelonia mydas is a debilitating, neoplastic disease that has reached worldwide epizootic levels. The etiology of FP is unknown but has been linked to oncogenic viruses. Toxic benthic dinoflagellates (Prorocentrum spp.) are not typically considered tumorigenic agents, yet they have a worldwide distribution and produce a tumor promoter, okadaic...

No abstract available.

Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides (OCs) are diverse synthetic chemicals that belong to several groups, based on chemical structure. DDT is the best known of these insecticides. First synthesized in 1874, DDT remained obscure until its insecticidal properties became known in 1939, a discovery that earned a Nobel Prize in 1948. The means of synthesizing the cyclodiene group, the most...

Hemosporidia are microscopic, intracellular parasitic protozoans found within the blood cells and tissues of their avian hosts. Three closely related genera, Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon, are commonly found in wild birds. Infections in highly susceptible species and age classes may result in death.

Avian pox is the common name for a mild-to-severe, slowdeveloping disease of birds that is caused by a large virus belonging to the avipoxvirus group, a subgroup of poxviruses. This group contains several similar virus strains; some strains have the ability to infect several groups or species of birds but others appear to be species-specific. Mosquitoes are common mechanical vectors or

In March 1978, a previously unidentified herpesvirus was isolated at the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) from a die-off of captive cranes housed at the International Crane Foundation (ICF) in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Serological testing of this virus against other previously isolated avian herpesviruses does not result in cross-reactions, thereby supporting this agent’s status as a...

Avian tuberculosis is usually caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium. At least 20 different types of M. avium have been identified, only three of which are known to cause disease in birds. Other types of Mycobacterium rarely cause tuberculosis in most avian species; however, parrots, macaws, and other large perching birds are susceptible to human and bovine types of tuberculosis...

Renal coccidiosis is caused by protozoal parasites that infect the kidneys and associated tissues. Most of the coccidia that infect the tissues in birds are Eimeria sp. As with most other parasitic infections, this infection is not synonymous with clinical or apparent disease. Asymptomatic infections are far more common than those that are severe and cause mortality.

A nested PCR was developed for detection of the Clostridium botulinum type C1 toxin gene in sediments collected from wetlands where avian botulism outbreaks had or had not occurred. The C1 toxin gene was detected in 16 of 18 sites, demonstrating both the ubiquitous distribution of C. botulinum type C in wetland sediments and the sensitivity of the detection assay.

Organophosphorus and carbamate compounds have largely replaced chlorinated hydrocarbons for pesticidal use in the United States, and many cases of poisoning resulting from exposure to these anticholinesterase agents have occurred in free-living birds. Although lead shot has been prohibited for waterfowl hunting throughout the United States since 1991, lead poisoning from the ingestion of...