Fish & Wildlife Disease: Small Mammal Disease
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
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.
An invasive disease, sylvatic plague, increases fragmentation of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies An invasive disease, sylvatic plague, increases fragmentation of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies
Managing plague on prairie dog colonies: Insecticides as ectoparasiticides Managing plague on prairie dog colonies: Insecticides as ectoparasiticides
Effects of climate change on plague exposure pathways and resulting disease dynamics Effects of climate change on plague exposure pathways and resulting disease dynamics
Flea parasitism and host survival in a plague-relevant system: Theoretical and conservation implications Flea parasitism and host survival in a plague-relevant system: Theoretical and conservation implications
Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid
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
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.