Fish & Wildlife Disease: Small Mammal Disease
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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
Small Mammal Disease Research
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.
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.
Filter Total Items: 29
Insect pathogenic fungi for biocontrol of plague vector fleas: A review Insect pathogenic fungi for biocontrol of plague vector fleas: A review
Bubonic plague is a lethal bacterial disease of great historical importance. The plague organism, Yersinia pestis, is primarily transmitted by fleas (Siphonaptera). In natural settings, where its range expands, Y. pestis resides in association with wild rodents and their fleas (sylvatic plague). While chemical insecticides are used against plague vector fleas, biological approaches have...
Authors
David A. Eads, Stefan Jaronski, Dean E. Biggins, Jeffrey Wimsatt
Plague transforms positive effects of precipitation on prairie dogs to negative effects Plague transforms positive effects of precipitation on prairie dogs to negative effects
Rodents characteristically benefit from increased precipitation, especially in typically dry habitats; “good years” of high precipitation improve their forage and water balance. However, Yersinia pestis (plague), a flea-borne pathogen of mammals that was introduced to western North America, has the greatest negative impact on at least some species of rodents during years of above-average
Authors
Dean E. Biggins, David A. Eads, Jerry L. Godbey
Fipronil pellets reduce flea abundance on black-tailed prairie dogs: Potential tool for plague management and black-footed ferret conservation Fipronil pellets reduce flea abundance on black-tailed prairie dogs: Potential tool for plague management and black-footed ferret conservation
In western North America, sylvatic plague (a flea-borne disease) poses a significant risk to endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) and their primary prey, prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.). Pulicides (flea-killing agents) can be used to suppress fleas and thereby manage plague. In South Dakota, US, we tested edible “FipBit” pellets, each containing 0.84 mg fipronil, on free-living...
Authors
David A. Eads, Travis M. Livieri, Phillip Dobesh, Eddie Childers, Lauren Noble, Michele Vasquez, Dean E. Biggins
Epizootic plague in prairie dogs: Correlates and control with deltamethrin Epizootic plague in prairie dogs: Correlates and control with deltamethrin
The plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, is a generalist pathogen of flea (Siphonaptera) vectors and mammalian hosts. In colonies of prairie dogs (PDs, Cynomys spp.), Y. pestis causes occasional epizootics, killing ≥90% of PDs within weeks to several months. We evaluated the effectiveness of deltamethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, as a tool for preventing plague epizootics among three PD...
Authors
Dean E. Biggins, Jerry L. Godbey, David A. Eads
Effects of experimental flea removal and plague vaccine treatments on survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting sciurids Effects of experimental flea removal and plague vaccine treatments on survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting sciurids
Plague is a non-native disease in North America that reduces survival of many mammals. Previous studies have focused on epizootic plague which causes acute mortality events and dramatic declines in local abundance. We know much less about enzootic plague which causes less punctuated reductions in survival and abundance of infected populations. As a result, enzootic plague is much more...
Authors
Amanda R. Goldberg, Courtney J. Conway, Dean E. Biggins
Enzootic plague reduces survival of Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana) in Colorado Enzootic plague reduces survival of Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana) in Colorado
Plague is a flea-vectored disease introduced to North America c. 1900. It is lethal to many American mammal species, causes major die-offs (epizootics) in some populations, and may be ecologically disruptive even at lower interepizootic (enzootic) levels of transmission. We sought to determine the effects of enzootic plague on survival of Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana) and to test...
Authors
Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Tonie E. Rocke, Judy L. Williamson, Jeffrey Wimsatt
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
Small Mammal Disease Research
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.
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.
Filter Total Items: 29
Insect pathogenic fungi for biocontrol of plague vector fleas: A review Insect pathogenic fungi for biocontrol of plague vector fleas: A review
Bubonic plague is a lethal bacterial disease of great historical importance. The plague organism, Yersinia pestis, is primarily transmitted by fleas (Siphonaptera). In natural settings, where its range expands, Y. pestis resides in association with wild rodents and their fleas (sylvatic plague). While chemical insecticides are used against plague vector fleas, biological approaches have...
Authors
David A. Eads, Stefan Jaronski, Dean E. Biggins, Jeffrey Wimsatt
Plague transforms positive effects of precipitation on prairie dogs to negative effects Plague transforms positive effects of precipitation on prairie dogs to negative effects
Rodents characteristically benefit from increased precipitation, especially in typically dry habitats; “good years” of high precipitation improve their forage and water balance. However, Yersinia pestis (plague), a flea-borne pathogen of mammals that was introduced to western North America, has the greatest negative impact on at least some species of rodents during years of above-average
Authors
Dean E. Biggins, David A. Eads, Jerry L. Godbey
Fipronil pellets reduce flea abundance on black-tailed prairie dogs: Potential tool for plague management and black-footed ferret conservation Fipronil pellets reduce flea abundance on black-tailed prairie dogs: Potential tool for plague management and black-footed ferret conservation
In western North America, sylvatic plague (a flea-borne disease) poses a significant risk to endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) and their primary prey, prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.). Pulicides (flea-killing agents) can be used to suppress fleas and thereby manage plague. In South Dakota, US, we tested edible “FipBit” pellets, each containing 0.84 mg fipronil, on free-living...
Authors
David A. Eads, Travis M. Livieri, Phillip Dobesh, Eddie Childers, Lauren Noble, Michele Vasquez, Dean E. Biggins
Epizootic plague in prairie dogs: Correlates and control with deltamethrin Epizootic plague in prairie dogs: Correlates and control with deltamethrin
The plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, is a generalist pathogen of flea (Siphonaptera) vectors and mammalian hosts. In colonies of prairie dogs (PDs, Cynomys spp.), Y. pestis causes occasional epizootics, killing ≥90% of PDs within weeks to several months. We evaluated the effectiveness of deltamethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, as a tool for preventing plague epizootics among three PD...
Authors
Dean E. Biggins, Jerry L. Godbey, David A. Eads
Effects of experimental flea removal and plague vaccine treatments on survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting sciurids Effects of experimental flea removal and plague vaccine treatments on survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting sciurids
Plague is a non-native disease in North America that reduces survival of many mammals. Previous studies have focused on epizootic plague which causes acute mortality events and dramatic declines in local abundance. We know much less about enzootic plague which causes less punctuated reductions in survival and abundance of infected populations. As a result, enzootic plague is much more...
Authors
Amanda R. Goldberg, Courtney J. Conway, Dean E. Biggins
Enzootic plague reduces survival of Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana) in Colorado Enzootic plague reduces survival of Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana) in Colorado
Plague is a flea-vectored disease introduced to North America c. 1900. It is lethal to many American mammal species, causes major die-offs (epizootics) in some populations, and may be ecologically disruptive even at lower interepizootic (enzootic) levels of transmission. We sought to determine the effects of enzootic plague on survival of Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana) and to test...
Authors
Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Tonie E. Rocke, Judy L. Williamson, Jeffrey Wimsatt