Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Fish & Wildlife Disease: Small Mammal Disease

Active
By Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program September 29, 2022

Sylvatic plague is a flea-borne bacterial disease of wild rodents. Humans, pets, and wildlife can be afflicted with this disease.  Prairie dogs are highly susceptible to plague and are the primary food source of the highly endangered black-footed ferret, which is also susceptible to the disease. Sylvatic plague can decimate prairie dog colonies (90% or greater mortality rates), resulting in local extinctions and population reductions.

USGS scientists are working with partners to conduct field trials of an oral sylvatic plague vaccine for prairie dogs.  This management tool could be used to reduce the occurrence of plague outbreaks in wildlife.

Small Mammal Disease Research

Image: Plague Vaccine Bait

Vaccines

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) works on developing various disease management tools, including the development of vaccines. Our current work focuses on vaccines for sylvatic plague, white-nose syndrome, and rabies as disease control strategies.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Vaccines

Vaccines

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) works on developing various disease management tools, including the development of vaccines. Our current work focuses on vaccines for sylvatic plague, white-nose syndrome, and rabies as disease control strategies.
Learn More
Prairie dog and SPV bait

Sylvatic Plague

Sylvatic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that afflicts many mammalian species, including humans.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Sylvatic Plague

Sylvatic Plague

Sylvatic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that afflicts many mammalian species, including humans.
Learn More
Mosquito, species not verified

Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are transmitted from one animal to another by vectors, including insects, such as mosquitoes or fleas, and arachnids, such as ticks. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center investigates wildlife diseases, including vector-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and sylvatic plague.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are transmitted from one animal to another by vectors, including insects, such as mosquitoes or fleas, and arachnids, such as ticks. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center investigates wildlife diseases, including vector-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and sylvatic plague.
Learn More
Image: Tagged Prairie Dog

Ecology of Plague

In North America, the flea transmitted plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) has colonized and altered native animal communities and ecosystems for more than a century. Many species have suffered adverse consequences from plague, perhaps none more than the endangered black-footed ferret. Plague has established within the ranges of all North American prairie dog species, which collectively serve as...
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center
Ecology of Plague

Ecology of Plague

In North America, the flea transmitted plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) has colonized and altered native animal communities and ecosystems for more than a century. Many species have suffered adverse consequences from plague, perhaps none more than the endangered black-footed ferret. Plague has established within the ranges of all North American prairie dog species, which collectively serve as...
Learn More

Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS small mammal disease research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS small mammal disease data is available from the button below.

Complete List of Data

Data on black-tailed prairie dog body condition, annual and monthly survival, and reproduction on sites treated or not treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation in South Dakota, USA, 2017-2020 Data on black-tailed prairie dog body condition, annual and monthly survival, and reproduction on sites treated or not treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation in South Dakota, USA, 2017-2020

We live-trapped and sampled black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park and Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota, 2017-2020. Sampling occurred on sites treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation, and non-treated sites functioning as experimental baselines. Prairie dogs were trapped, sexed, aged (adult or juvenile by size), weighed to the...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Data on deer mouse and vole plague vaccination and captures in central New Mexico, 2019-2021 Data on deer mouse and vole plague vaccination and captures in central New Mexico, 2019-2021

Our study was conducted from 2019-2021 in Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico. We live trapped deer mice and two species of voles in Sherman traps, mostly at nighttime, from June-October 2019 and June-September 2020-2021. We marked each rodent with ear tags and a passive integrated transponder for permanent identification. We used an F1 antigen vaccine to vaccinate some individuals...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Black-tailed prairie dog capture data from plots treated and not treated with oral plague vaccine from 2013-2017 in Montana Black-tailed prairie dog capture data from plots treated and not treated with oral plague vaccine from 2013-2017 in Montana

Oral sylvatic plague vaccine baits (SPV) and placebo baits were distributed once annually from 2013-2016 on treated and non-treated paired plots from 2013-2016. Black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) were live-trapped and permanently marked with passive integrated transponders and ear tags on 4 pairs of plots each year from 2013-2017 to provide capture/recapture data for use in estimating BTPD...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Black-tailed prairie dog movement and bait uptake data from 2013-2017 in Montana Black-tailed prairie dog movement and bait uptake data from 2013-2017 in Montana

Oral sylvatic plague vaccine baits (SPV) and placebo baits, each containing Rhodamine B dye biomarker, were distributed once annually from 2013-2016 on treated and non-treated paired plots from 2013-2016. Black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) were live-trapped and permanently marked with passive integrated transponders and ear tags on 4 pairs of plots each year from 2013-2017 to provide...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA

Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance on prairie dogs, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA, 2003-2005. Prairie dog species (PDspecies in the data file) included black-tailed prairie dogs (PDs) (BTPD, Cynomys ludovicianus) in north-central Montana, white-tailed PDs (WTPD, Cynomys leucurus) in eastern Utah, and Utah PDs (UPD, Cynomys parvidens) in southwestern Utah...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Data on finite population change for 3 species of prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005 Data on finite population change for 3 species of prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005

Data on annual population change for prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005. Prairie dog species included black-tailed prairie dogs (PDs) (BTPD, Cynomys ludovicianus) in north-central Montana, white-tailed PDs (WTPD, Cynomys leucurus) in eastern Utah, and Utah PDs (UPD, Cynomys parvidens) in southwestern Utah. Field research was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Recent publications related to USGS small mammal disease research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS small mammal disease publications is available from the button below.

Complete List of Publications
Filter Total Items: 29

Retrospective review of the pathology of American pikas Retrospective review of the pathology of American pikas

American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are small lagomorphs that live in mountainous talus areas of western North America. Studies on the histopathology of American pikas are limited. We summarize here the clinical histories, and gross and histologic findings of 12 American pikas, including 9 captive (wild-caught) and 3 wild animals. Death was often attributed to stress (transport, handling
Authors
Adrienne Barrett, Kali Holder, Susan Knowles, Elise E. B. LaDouceur
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Serologic survey of selected arthropod-borne pathogens in free-ranging snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) captured in Northern Michigan, USA Serologic survey of selected arthropod-borne pathogens in free-ranging snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) captured in Northern Michigan, USA

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, USA, occupy the southern periphery of the species' range and are vulnerable to climate change. In the eastern UP, hares are isolated by the Great Lakes, potentially exacerbating exposure to climate-change-induced habitat alterations. Climate change is also measurably affecting distribution and prevalence of vector...
Authors
Erik K. Hofmeister, Eric Clark, Melissa Lund, Daniel A. Grear
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Season of death, pathogen persistence and wildlife behaviour alter number of anthrax secondary infections from environmental reservoirs Season of death, pathogen persistence and wildlife behaviour alter number of anthrax secondary infections from environmental reservoirs

An important part of infectious disease management is predicting factors that influence disease outbreaks, such as R, the number of secondary infections arising from an infected individual. Estimating R is particularly challenging for environmentally transmitted pathogens given time lags between cases and subsequent infections. Here, we calculated R for Bacillus anthracis infections...
Authors
Amelie C. Dolfi, Kyrre Kausrud, Kristyna Rysava, Celeste Champagne, Yen-Hua Huang, Zoe R. Barandongo, Wendy Christine Turner
By
Cooperative Research Units

Modeling the response of an endangered rabbit population to RHDV2 and vaccination Modeling the response of an endangered rabbit population to RHDV2 and vaccination

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2), recently detected in the western United States, has the potential to cause mass mortality events in wild rabbit and hare populations. Currently, few management strategies exist other than vaccination. We developed a spatially explicit model of RHDV2 for a population of riparian brush rabbits (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius), a subspecies of brush...
Authors
Robin Russell, Robert J. Dusek, Stephanie Prevost, Deana L. Clifford, Megan Moriarty, Fumika Takahashi
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

We evaluated the invasion of plague bacteria Yersinia pestis into a population of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus; BTPDs) in South Dakota. We aimed to ascertain if Y. pestis invaded slowly or rapidly, and to determine if vector (flea) control or vaccination of BTPDs assisted in increasing survival rates. We sampled BTPDs in 2007 (before Y. pestis documentation), 2008...
Authors
David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Amanda R. Goldberg, Samantha L. Eads, Tonie E. Rocke
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center

Alternative lifestyles: A plague persistence hypothesis Alternative lifestyles: A plague persistence hypothesis

Several explanations have been posited for how the plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) reemerges during sylvatic cycles within the same foci over many years, and often without direct evidence of host die-offs. One prevalent view is that transmission-optimized Y. pestis bacteria, exhibiting epizootic/enzootic behavior, almost continually replicate and survive through repeated, linked, host...
Authors
Jeffrey Wimsatt, David A. Eads, Marc R. Matchett, Dean E. Biggins
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Sylvatic plague is a flea-borne bacterial disease of wild rodents. Humans, pets, and wildlife can be afflicted with this disease.  Prairie dogs are highly susceptible to plague and are the primary food source of the highly endangered black-footed ferret, which is also susceptible to the disease. Sylvatic plague can decimate prairie dog colonies (90% or greater mortality rates), resulting in local extinctions and population reductions.

USGS scientists are working with partners to conduct field trials of an oral sylvatic plague vaccine for prairie dogs.  This management tool could be used to reduce the occurrence of plague outbreaks in wildlife.

Small Mammal Disease Research

Image: Plague Vaccine Bait

Vaccines

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) works on developing various disease management tools, including the development of vaccines. Our current work focuses on vaccines for sylvatic plague, white-nose syndrome, and rabies as disease control strategies.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Vaccines

Vaccines

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) works on developing various disease management tools, including the development of vaccines. Our current work focuses on vaccines for sylvatic plague, white-nose syndrome, and rabies as disease control strategies.
Learn More
Prairie dog and SPV bait

Sylvatic Plague

Sylvatic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that afflicts many mammalian species, including humans.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Sylvatic Plague

Sylvatic Plague

Sylvatic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that afflicts many mammalian species, including humans.
Learn More
Mosquito, species not verified

Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are transmitted from one animal to another by vectors, including insects, such as mosquitoes or fleas, and arachnids, such as ticks. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center investigates wildlife diseases, including vector-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and sylvatic plague.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are transmitted from one animal to another by vectors, including insects, such as mosquitoes or fleas, and arachnids, such as ticks. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center investigates wildlife diseases, including vector-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and sylvatic plague.
Learn More
Image: Tagged Prairie Dog

Ecology of Plague

In North America, the flea transmitted plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) has colonized and altered native animal communities and ecosystems for more than a century. Many species have suffered adverse consequences from plague, perhaps none more than the endangered black-footed ferret. Plague has established within the ranges of all North American prairie dog species, which collectively serve as...
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center
Ecology of Plague

Ecology of Plague

In North America, the flea transmitted plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) has colonized and altered native animal communities and ecosystems for more than a century. Many species have suffered adverse consequences from plague, perhaps none more than the endangered black-footed ferret. Plague has established within the ranges of all North American prairie dog species, which collectively serve as...
Learn More

Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS small mammal disease research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS small mammal disease data is available from the button below.

Complete List of Data

Data on black-tailed prairie dog body condition, annual and monthly survival, and reproduction on sites treated or not treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation in South Dakota, USA, 2017-2020 Data on black-tailed prairie dog body condition, annual and monthly survival, and reproduction on sites treated or not treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation in South Dakota, USA, 2017-2020

We live-trapped and sampled black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park and Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota, 2017-2020. Sampling occurred on sites treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation, and non-treated sites functioning as experimental baselines. Prairie dogs were trapped, sexed, aged (adult or juvenile by size), weighed to the...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Data on deer mouse and vole plague vaccination and captures in central New Mexico, 2019-2021 Data on deer mouse and vole plague vaccination and captures in central New Mexico, 2019-2021

Our study was conducted from 2019-2021 in Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico. We live trapped deer mice and two species of voles in Sherman traps, mostly at nighttime, from June-October 2019 and June-September 2020-2021. We marked each rodent with ear tags and a passive integrated transponder for permanent identification. We used an F1 antigen vaccine to vaccinate some individuals...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Black-tailed prairie dog capture data from plots treated and not treated with oral plague vaccine from 2013-2017 in Montana Black-tailed prairie dog capture data from plots treated and not treated with oral plague vaccine from 2013-2017 in Montana

Oral sylvatic plague vaccine baits (SPV) and placebo baits were distributed once annually from 2013-2016 on treated and non-treated paired plots from 2013-2016. Black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) were live-trapped and permanently marked with passive integrated transponders and ear tags on 4 pairs of plots each year from 2013-2017 to provide capture/recapture data for use in estimating BTPD...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Black-tailed prairie dog movement and bait uptake data from 2013-2017 in Montana Black-tailed prairie dog movement and bait uptake data from 2013-2017 in Montana

Oral sylvatic plague vaccine baits (SPV) and placebo baits, each containing Rhodamine B dye biomarker, were distributed once annually from 2013-2016 on treated and non-treated paired plots from 2013-2016. Black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) were live-trapped and permanently marked with passive integrated transponders and ear tags on 4 pairs of plots each year from 2013-2017 to provide...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA

Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance on prairie dogs, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA, 2003-2005. Prairie dog species (PDspecies in the data file) included black-tailed prairie dogs (PDs) (BTPD, Cynomys ludovicianus) in north-central Montana, white-tailed PDs (WTPD, Cynomys leucurus) in eastern Utah, and Utah PDs (UPD, Cynomys parvidens) in southwestern Utah...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Data on finite population change for 3 species of prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005 Data on finite population change for 3 species of prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005

Data on annual population change for prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005. Prairie dog species included black-tailed prairie dogs (PDs) (BTPD, Cynomys ludovicianus) in north-central Montana, white-tailed PDs (WTPD, Cynomys leucurus) in eastern Utah, and Utah PDs (UPD, Cynomys parvidens) in southwestern Utah. Field research was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Recent publications related to USGS small mammal disease research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS small mammal disease publications is available from the button below.

Complete List of Publications
Filter Total Items: 29

Retrospective review of the pathology of American pikas Retrospective review of the pathology of American pikas

American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are small lagomorphs that live in mountainous talus areas of western North America. Studies on the histopathology of American pikas are limited. We summarize here the clinical histories, and gross and histologic findings of 12 American pikas, including 9 captive (wild-caught) and 3 wild animals. Death was often attributed to stress (transport, handling
Authors
Adrienne Barrett, Kali Holder, Susan Knowles, Elise E. B. LaDouceur
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Serologic survey of selected arthropod-borne pathogens in free-ranging snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) captured in Northern Michigan, USA Serologic survey of selected arthropod-borne pathogens in free-ranging snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) captured in Northern Michigan, USA

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, USA, occupy the southern periphery of the species' range and are vulnerable to climate change. In the eastern UP, hares are isolated by the Great Lakes, potentially exacerbating exposure to climate-change-induced habitat alterations. Climate change is also measurably affecting distribution and prevalence of vector...
Authors
Erik K. Hofmeister, Eric Clark, Melissa Lund, Daniel A. Grear
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Season of death, pathogen persistence and wildlife behaviour alter number of anthrax secondary infections from environmental reservoirs Season of death, pathogen persistence and wildlife behaviour alter number of anthrax secondary infections from environmental reservoirs

An important part of infectious disease management is predicting factors that influence disease outbreaks, such as R, the number of secondary infections arising from an infected individual. Estimating R is particularly challenging for environmentally transmitted pathogens given time lags between cases and subsequent infections. Here, we calculated R for Bacillus anthracis infections...
Authors
Amelie C. Dolfi, Kyrre Kausrud, Kristyna Rysava, Celeste Champagne, Yen-Hua Huang, Zoe R. Barandongo, Wendy Christine Turner
By
Cooperative Research Units

Modeling the response of an endangered rabbit population to RHDV2 and vaccination Modeling the response of an endangered rabbit population to RHDV2 and vaccination

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2), recently detected in the western United States, has the potential to cause mass mortality events in wild rabbit and hare populations. Currently, few management strategies exist other than vaccination. We developed a spatially explicit model of RHDV2 for a population of riparian brush rabbits (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius), a subspecies of brush...
Authors
Robin Russell, Robert J. Dusek, Stephanie Prevost, Deana L. Clifford, Megan Moriarty, Fumika Takahashi
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

We evaluated the invasion of plague bacteria Yersinia pestis into a population of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus; BTPDs) in South Dakota. We aimed to ascertain if Y. pestis invaded slowly or rapidly, and to determine if vector (flea) control or vaccination of BTPDs assisted in increasing survival rates. We sampled BTPDs in 2007 (before Y. pestis documentation), 2008...
Authors
David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Amanda R. Goldberg, Samantha L. Eads, Tonie E. Rocke
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center

Alternative lifestyles: A plague persistence hypothesis Alternative lifestyles: A plague persistence hypothesis

Several explanations have been posited for how the plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) reemerges during sylvatic cycles within the same foci over many years, and often without direct evidence of host die-offs. One prevalent view is that transmission-optimized Y. pestis bacteria, exhibiting epizootic/enzootic behavior, almost continually replicate and survive through repeated, linked, host...
Authors
Jeffrey Wimsatt, David A. Eads, Marc R. Matchett, Dean E. Biggins
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center
Was this page helpful?