SUPPLEMENT TO THE JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES

President’s Corner

Several disease outbreaks occurred the last several months “on the eve of the new millennium”  that should peak the interest of both veteran and aspiring wildlife disease specialists alike.  First was the well-publicized West Nile Virus outbreak in New York and other northeastern states in the U.S.  West Nile Virus, an arbovirus considered exotic in the U.S., killed wild birds (primarily crows) and domestic animals (horses), and sadly, resulted in several human fatalities as well.  This event attracted considerable attention and immediate response from both public and animal health agencies and local veterinarians.  Wildlife disease specialists from a number of agencies played an important role in assessing the distribution of exposure in wild birds and the species involved.  Important questions yet to be resolved include the potential overwintering capability of the virus, the likelihood that it will move south with migratory birds, and the original source of infection.

A less well-publicized event was the die-off of loons, mergansers, and other fish-eating birds from type E botulism in the Great Lakes (apparently a smaller outbreak occurred last year) confirmed by wildlife diagnosticians in both Canada and the U.S.  Although type E botulism is certainly not new to the Great Lakes, it has not occurred (or been detected) since the early 80's, and a number of questions have been raised concerning environmental conditions that trigger these outbreaks, if fish ingest toxin and are affected, and the potential risk to humans.

These are just a few recent events and probably reflect my bias towards avian diseases, but these examples and others serve to illustrate the continued relevance of our work as wildlife health professionals and of our organization, the WDA.  The new millennium we have just entered will likely bring us many such challenging problems - new and emerging diseases, as well as old, unresolved ones - and many new opportunities for us to use our specialized professions, skills, knowledge, and experience in a wide variety of animal species.  The WDA is the ideal forum to share our knowledge and experiences, foster our scientific goals and ideas, and advance wildlife health issues.  However if the Association is to thrive and grow and continue to serve its members well, we need to work to stay current with the times, update the way we conduct our business, and actively promote the WDA in order to attract new members with similar interests and fresh ideas.

Change is inevitable in any organization, and the WDA is no exception.  Several potential ways to improve our organization were discussed at last year’s meeting and are being considered by WDA committees and Council.  For instance, an ad hoc committee has been formed to consider the feasibility, logistics, and ramifications of  hiring an executive secretary that could handle the day-to-day business concerns of the WDA, relieving some of the burden of elected officers.  Other committees are considering the feasibility of electronic transmission of manuscripts, ways to improve our web page, new or updated designs for our logo and possibly the cover of the Journal.  We are continually looking for new ideas to promote the WDA, increase our international participation, and attract new members, and all suggestions and assistance from the membership in this regard are welcome and encouraged.   I, for one, have high hopes for the future of the WDA in this new century and believe our Association will continue to benefit wildlife health professionals, scientists, managers, students, and others interested in wildlife health and conservation.
Tonie Rocke, WDA President
 

WDA ACTIVITIES

2000 WDA Conference.  The 49th Annual Conference of the WDA will be held June 4-8, 2000 at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA.  The meeting will be sponsored by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.  The Jackson Lake Lodge is a spectacular resort complex located in the middle of Jackson Hole.  The resort overlooks Jackson Lake and the Teton Mountain Range.  It is just south of America’s premier national park, Yellowstone, and it is about 30 miles north of the town of Jackson where unique shopping, restaurants, and entertainment can be found.  The Lodge is self-contained having several superb restaurants and services as well as different levels of accommodations ranging from lodge rooms to cabins to luxurious suites.  Room reservations should be made directly with the Lodge (800-628-9988; mention WDA Conference) before April 15.  Recreational vehicle and more rustic camping opportunities are available at campgrounds associated with the Lodge.  The Lodge can be reached by driving or by flying into Jackson and taking either a shuttle or renting a car (make rental car reservations early!).  This will truly be an opportunity for a family vacation.  While most of us will be stuck in a conference room, your spouse and children can be hiking, horseback riding, fishing, boating, river rafting, golfing, shopping, wildlife viewing (moose, elk, bison, bears, wolves, birds, and more), or swimming (heated pool).

 The Editorial Board and Council will meet on Sunday, June 4 prior to the Conference.  There will be a special meeting of the Western Wildlife Health Cooperative on Saturday afternoon, June 3.  A welcoming reception will be held on Sunday evening at the Lodge.  General sessions will begin on Monday, June 5.  Contributed papers begin on Monday and continue through Thursday afternoon.  The picnic and auction will be held on Monday evening, June 5.  The banquet and awards presentations will be held on Wednesday evening, June 7.  Be sure to give yourself plenty of time before or after the conference to explore this most spectacular and unique natural area.

Complete information regarding the Conference can be obtained by contacting Becky Russell, Box 3312, University Station, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; phone: 307-766-5616; fax: 307-766-5630; e-mail: rrussell@uwyo.edu.  Information will also be posted on the WDA website at http://www.wildlifedisease.org.  Conference registration must be made before April 15, 2000 to avoid late fees.

Call for Papers.  The WDA conference will be held earlier than usual this year, as a result, abstracts will be due earlier than usual.  Requests to contribute a paper at the 2000 WDA conference, as well as accompanying abstracts should be received no later than 1 April 2000.  Requests and abstracts received after 1 April will be given lower priority when determining which papers are accepted.
Please send the abstract in ASCII format on a computer diskette along with a printed copy to the address below.  Alternatively, abstracts may be emailed to rrussell@uwyo.edu however, we still recommend that a hard copy be mailed.  Please include the name and complete addresses for all authors on the abstract and underline the individual presenting the paper, following the format of the attached sample abstract.  Abstracts should be no longer than 2 full pages including title, authors and addresses (please use 12 point font).  Longer abstracts may be edited.  Including one or two pertinent citations will be permitted though not necessarily encouraged.  Indicate whether you prefer to present your paper during a platform session, as a poster presentation, or if either option is acceptable.  Abstracts being submitted for the student competition should be clearly identified as such, and a copy also submitted to the Chairman of the Student Activities Committee (see Student Activities announcement).

Oral presentations will be limited to a maximum of 15 minutes.  We recommend a 12-13 minute presentation to allow time for questions and discussion.  In fairness to others, please plan for the time allotted.  The outlaws of the west will cut you off if you proceed beyond your allotted time.  Carousel 2 X 2 inch slide projectors will be provided.  Slides should be given to the projectionist at the beginning of your session.  It is the author’s responsibility to have slides loaded into the carousel correctly.  If other audiovisual equipment is needed, please request these when the abstract is submitted.  We request that computer presentations be limited to PC Power Point, as our system may not be compatible with other formats.
Special sessions are being planned on brucellosis and chronic wasting disease.  If you wish to present during either of these sessions it is especially critical that you submit your abstract early.
Submit abstracts to Becky Russell, Wyoming Game & Fish Lab, Room 323 Biological Sciences Bldg, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 USA.  Phone: (307) 766-5616; Fax: (307) 766-5630, or they may be emailed to rrussell@uwyo.edu.    If you have questions or concerns you may contact the Program Chair, Walter Cook, at (307) 742-6638/745-5865; email: wcook1@missc.state.wy.us

SAMPLE ABSTRACT

DETECTION OF THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF DISSEMINATED VISCERAL COCCIDIOSIS (EIMERIA SP.) IN SANDHILL CRANES (GRUS CANADENSIS) AND WHOOPING CRANES (GRUS AMERICANA) BY POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION AMPLIFICATION OF 18S rDNA.

SCOTT P. TERRELL, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610; SUSAN E. LITTLE, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; MARILYN G. SPALDING, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610; CALVIN M. JOHNSON, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610.

Disseminated visceral coccidiosis (DVC) is a disease characterized by the presence of disseminated lymphohistiocytic inflammatory lesions in sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) and whooping cranes (Grus americana).  The etiologic agent of DVC is a coccidian parasite of the genus Eimeria.  Currently, diagnosis of this disease requires microscopic identification of the Eimeria parasite in tissue samples.  However, microscopic identification of this parasite is often difficult due to the small numbers of organisms present or severe autolysis of field-collected specimens.  A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assay was developed to detect Eimeria spp. DNA in frozen tissue samples from cranes known or suspected to have DVC.  The PCR assay successfully detected Eimeria spp. DNA in tissue lesions known to contain coccidial organisms and also detected DNA in highly suspicious lesions in which organisms were not microscopically visible.  Tissue samples that did not contain lesions consistent with DVC and tissue samples from uninfected control birds did not produce a positive result with the PCR assay.  This work provides a useful diagnostic tool, the PCR assay, to confirm the presence of coccidian DNA in tissue lesions suspected to be the result of DVC.

WDA Student Activities

 The Wildlife Disease Association offers a scholarship and two awards to encourage student participation in the Association and our annual conference, and to recognize outstanding student research.  Students are defined as undergraduate or graduate students in the basic or veterinary sciences, and veterinary interns or residents.  Potential recipients must be members of the Wildlife Disease Association or must apply for membership at the time of application for the award.  Student supervisors are encouraged to bring these awards to the attention of their students well in advance of deadlines.
**DEADLINE FOR THE RESEARCH AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIP IS MARCH 3, 2000**
THIS DEADLINE IS FIRM – THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS!!

1) Wildlife Disease Association Scholarship.  This scholarship acknowledges outstanding academic and research accomplishment, commitment, and potential in pursuit of new knowledge in wildlife disease (or "health").  The scholarship has a value of $2,000 US and is awarded annually to an outstanding student who is pursuing a master's or doctoral degree specializing in research on wildlife disease.
 To be considered, the candidate should:
-Possess an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to a four-year baccalaureate degree.  Applicants with first-class standing (i.e., grade point average above 3.5 in 4.0 system, 80% in percentage system, with B+ or better) will receive priority;
-Be committed to leadership, scholarship, and service in the wildlife disease profession.
  Applicants should submit:
-One copy of all relevant transcripts.  Transcripts can be official (i.e. with the imprint of the official seal of the institution and the signature of the responsible university officer) or copies signed by the student’s faculty advisor;
-Up to three letters of support, including a letter from the student’s faculty advisor, that address the following specific abilities of the applicant: academic achievement, scholarly promise, research ability, verbal and writing skills, industriousness, leadership abilities, judgement and potential for contributions to the field of wildlife disease;
-Evidence of superior scholastic achievement (course work, scholarships);
-Evidence of potential or achievement in research (publications, publication awards, invitations to present);
-Other evidence of distinction OR commendation (letters, accomplishments).
The award is non-renewable and can be received only once by a given candidate.  Applications must be submitted by March 3, 2000 to:  Dr. Ellis Greiner, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32511 USA.

2)  Student Research Recognition Award.  This award is given to the student judged to have the best research project in the field of wildlife disease, based on written communication and scientific achievement.  The winner receives a plaque and up to $1,000 US to cover travel, housing, registration, etc. related to the annual conference, where his or her work will be presented.
Applicants should submit a summary (6-10 pages, double-spaced, 12 font) of their project, which must include an abstract (maximum 200 words), rationale for the study, objectives and hypotheses, experimental design, methods, results, and conclusions.  Also required is a short statement indicating how the research relates to WDA objectives (see inside back cover of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases) and a letter of support from the faculty advisor indicating the degree of student involvement in the planning and execution of the research project.  Applications should be submitted by March 3, 2000, to Dr. Ellis Greiner at the above address.

3) Terry Amundson Student Presentation Award.  This award recognizes the best student paper presented at the Annual Conference.  The award is based on the scientific content of the research and the quality of the presentation.  The winner receives a plaque and $250.  In addition, up to three students receive Honorable Mention, which includes a plaque and a smaller monetary award.  Students wising to be considered for the award should submit an abstract by April 1, 2000 to the Program Chair of the 2000 Annual WDA Conference (see “Call for Papers) and a copy of the abstract to Dr. Ellis Greiner at the above address.
 For more information regarding any of these awards or other student information, please contact Dr. Ellis Greiner, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32511 USA.  Telephone: 352-392-4700 ext.5861; FAX: 352-392-9704.  Email: greinere@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu

Nominations for WDA Offices, 2000.  Nominations are being sought for two members-at-large on the WDA Council.  Nominations by WDA members should be made in writing by March 1, 2000 to Dr. Todd Cornish, Nominations committee Chair, Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, 1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY 82070.  Telephone: 307-742-6638.  Nominations will also be accepted by FAX at (307) 721-2051 or by e-mail at: Tcornish@uwyo.edu

Nominations for WDA Awards, 2000.  Greetings fellow WDA members.  The Y2K WDA Awards Committee (Ted Leighton, Randy Zarnke and an as-yet un-named third person who doesn't realize how lucky he/she is to serve on this committee) is actively soliciting your input regarding nominations for this year's WDA awards.  We are seeking nominations for both the Distinguished Service and Emeritus Awards.  The DSA is our Association's highest honor.  It recognizes an active member for outstanding contributions in science, education and other activities including participation in WDA affairs.  The Emeritus Award honors a retired member who has made significant contributions to the study of wildlife diseases.  Please send nominations to either Ted or Randy by March 1, 2000.  Please note the earlier-than-normal deadline necessitated by the early date of our annual meeting.  Please include a copy of the nominee's CV.
Ted Leighton's e-mail: leighton@sask.usask.ca
Randy Zarnke's e-mail: Randy_Zarnke@fishgame.state.ak.us
 Snail Mail:  Alaska Dept of Fish & Game
    1300 College Road
    Fairbanks, AK    99701
[Editor’s note:  A list of the previous winners of these awards can be found in the January 1999 issue of the Supplement.  Check the hard copy or the 1999 Supplement posted on the web site.  Remember, last year’s winner of the Distinguished Service Award was Dr. Ian Barker and last year’s Emeritus Award went to Dr. Bill Adrian.]

HAPPENINGS IN THE FIELD

Type E Botulism in Fish-eating Birds.  Significant numbers of several species of mainly fish-eating birds have died during October and November on southeastern Lake Huron (between Kettle Point and Grand Bend, approximately 50-80 km NE of Sarnia, Ontario), and along north west shore of Lake Erie (between Point Pelee and Rondeau, approximately 60-80 km SE of Windsor, Ontario).
     On Lake Erie, minor mortality was noted throughout September, with an increase on about 28 September that persisted for a few days, and a larger episode beginning on 26 October, that now is apparently subsiding.  About 90% of birds found sick or dead have been common mergansers, though
common loons, grebes, diving ducks, ring-billed gulls, herring gulls, and Bonaparte's gulls also have been affected.  Mortality is likely of the order of 1000 birds, with 1-2 carcasses per 10 metres of beach in some localities.
    On Lake Huron, where beached carcasses were observed beginning about 14 October, with a notable increase on 23-24 October, approximately 90% of the birds involved were common loons.  Fewer common mergansers, grebes, red-throated loons, some diving ducks, ring-billed gulls and Bonaparte's gulls also were reported. The number of birds affected has not been determined, but based on carcass counts, at least 700 loons died.
Type E botulism has been diagnosed in mergansers that died in late September and late October on Lake Erie, and in loons from Lake Huron.  Live sick loons had flaccid paralysis, and some were successfully rehabilitated and released following supportive care.  In late July and early August a large number of gulls and sanderlings were found dead on the dead on the beaches at Point Pelee after a large fish die-off in the area.  We were unable to confirm botulism in these birds, but no other
disease was recognized, and the circumstances and reported behaviour (some sick birds recovered and were released following supportive care) are compatible with botulism.
Type E botulism is associated with fish, and the majority of birds involved in these outbreaks are fish-eaters or scavengers.  Even diving ducks, which are primarily mollusc feeders, had fish in their digestive tracts at the time of death.  At this time of year, large rafts of migrating loons, mergansers and diving ducks are resting and feeding offshore in the affected areas.  Episodes of Type E botulism are periodically recurrent in fish-eating birds, especially loons, on the Great Lakes in late fall [see Brand, C.J. et al., An outbreak of Type E botulism among common loons (Gavia immer) in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 24: 471-476, 1988].  We diagnosed botulism as the cause of a smaller die-off of common loons in the Kettle Point-Grand Bend area in fall 1998.  What is unclear are the circumstances under which fish become toxic.  No unusual fish mortality has been detected in association with the episodes on Lakes Erie and Huron over the past 5 weeks, and loons, mergansers and grebes would not be expected to consume dead fish.
  Submitted by G. Douglas Campbell and Ian K. Barker, Ontario Region, Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Dept. of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

EHDV-1 in the Eastern United States.  During 1999, 30 isolations of epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue viruses were made from white-tailed deer and cattle.  These included 18 isolates of EHDV-1 from deer from New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Virginia.  To our knowledge, this is the largest documented outbreak of EHDV-1 in deer since the prototype virus was isolated from a deer in New Jersey in 1955.  From 1976 to present, EHDV-1 has been isolated only five times, viz, 1981 from deer in California, 1982 from deer in Georgia, 1983 from bighorn sheep in California, and 1991 and 1996 from deer in Tennessee.  During this year there were 8 isolates of EHDV-2 from deer in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Mississippi and 3 additional EHDV-2 isolates from clinically affected cattle in Iowa.  A single bluetongue virus (BTV-13) was isolated from a penned deer in North Carolina.
 Submitted by David Stallknecht, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia USA
 

NWHC Quarterly Mortality Report.
 On September 24, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced the isolation and identification of the West Nile virus (WNV) from birds collected in New York City.  West Nile virus is an arthropod-borne virus closely related to St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus, a known virus infection of birds in the United States which occasionally causes human cases and epidemics.   The West Nile virus had never been reported in the United States or any area of the Western Hemisphere prior to this isolation.  Birds are the natural hosts for this virus and the virus is transmitted from birds to other animals, including humans, through the bite of mosquitoes.  The virus is not directly transmitted between humans and is not known to be transmitted from birds to humans or to other animals without the arthropod vector.
 American crows appear to be especially sensitive to this disease with mortality in a 14 county area of New York City (including counties in New Jersey) estimated to be in the thousands.  Fish crows are also dying of WNV.  West Nile virus has been identified in 17 native American bird species although it has not been determined to be the cause of death in all these species.  Each of the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York are examining the bird carcasses found within their borders for WNV.  The USGS National Wildlife Health Center has recruited submission of carcasses, primarily crows, from states on the Atlantic coast (outside of NJ, CT, NY) for WNV testing.  One crow from Baltimore, MD was found to be positive for WNV during this surveillance effort.  Carcass submission and testing for WNV is ongoing and surveillance is planned through the winter.
 Selected specimens from probable WN virus positive crows submitted from new locations will be shipped to CDC for confirmation.  Concurrently, USGS and CDC will be collaborating with Dr. Ward Stone (New York Department of  Environmental Conservation),  New York City and New York State Public Health officials, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct field investigations in the New York area.  Researchers will attempt to determine the wildlife species involved, the geographic and temporal distribution of the new virus in bird populations, and where the virus may be expanding beyond the currently reported sites. There is concern that if migratory birds are infected, the virus will move farther south during fall migration.
 Type E botulism was confirmed in gulls collected during mortality of 230 ring-billed, greater black backed and herring gulls since late July on Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. Other species implicated in the mortality include ducks and loons, however these species have not yet been tested for the toxin.  Botulism type E was the cause of bird mortality in the Great Lakes in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, and 1983.  All of the bird mortalities occurred in the autumn, except in 1980, and it is thought that eating fish exposes the birds to the toxin. The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Center has confirmed botulism type E mortality in birds collected from two ongoing mortality events. Over 200 common loons, grebes, diving ducks, and ring-billed, herring, and Bonaparte's gulls have died along the northern shore of  Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada between Point Pelee National Park and Rondeau Provincial Park, and several hundred red-throated loons, grebes, mergansers, diving ducks, and ring-billed and Bonaparte's  gulls are reported to have died along the southeastern part of Lake Huron near Kettle Point and Grand Bend.
 Waterfowl mortality was reported at the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge in late July.  Botulism was the suspected cause of death, however many of the birds that were collected were thin.   All of the birds initially submitted to the NWHC were emaciated and several had pneumonia and/or an airsacculitis.  Cultures submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa were positive for chlamydia.  A follow-up field investigation of this mortality event confirmed the presence of chlamydia in samples taken from migratory birds trapped on the refuge.   This is the first reported chlamydiosis mortality in migratory waterfowl in the United States.

 Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report.  July 1999 to September 1999 - The Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report is available on the Internet at http://www.emtc.nbs.gov/nwhcchrome.html.  To report mortality or if you would like specific information on these moralities, contact one of the following NWHC staff:  Eastern US--Kathryn Converse or Kimberli Miller; Western US--Linda Glaser; Hawaiian Islands--Thierry Work.  Phone (608) 270-2400, FAX (608) 270-2415 or E-mail  kathy_converse@nbs.gov.  National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI  53711.
 

WDA SECTION NEWS

News from Australasia.  A workshop was held in Canberra in November to discuss the establishment of an Australian Wildlife Health Centre.  Such a centre would have as its function the monitoring of wildlife health and disease throughout Australia by investigation, diagnosis and management of disease outbreaks and the compilation of a central database to coordinate activities and findings.  It is anticipated that zoos and universities will take an active role in the Centre which, depending on funding, may be functional as early as the middle of 2000.
An epizootic of sudden death in tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) was observed within 8 research facilities and zoological gardens within New South Wales from October through to December 1998.  One hundred and twenty tammar wallaby deaths were confirmed during this period within one facility alone.  Lesions noted on post mortem examination of the wallabies, in conjunction with epidemiological factors and viral culture results suggest that an arthropod borne virus may be responsible for this syndrome.  Clinical signs included sudden death, increased respiratory rate, sitting with lowered head, and muscle fasciculations.  Post mortem findings included pulmonary and hepatic congestion, subcutaneous oedema in the hind limbs, lymphoid depletion, gastric ulceration and extensive haemorrhage.
The 2000 Australasian WDA meeting will be held in New Zealand from December 3-8.  For more information contact Padraig Duignan at the Department Veterinary Pathology & Public Health, Veterinary Science, Massey University, P.B. 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand.  Email: P.J.Duignan@massey.ac.nz.  In 2001, a combined meeting of the Australasian WDA, Australian Association of Veterinary Conservation Biology, World Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, and the Wildlife Interest Group of the New Zealand Veterinary Association is planned to be held in Sydney.  Further details to follow.
 Submitted by Peter Holtz, Australasian Section WDA Newsletter editor.

News from Japan.  The 5th meeting of Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (JSZWM) was held at Osaka Prefecture University from July 2 to 4, 1999.  More than 250 zoo and wildlife veterinarians including veterinary students from all over Japan participated in the meeting.  It is my pleasure to inform you of the titles and the names of presenters of papers given at the meeting (Editor’s note: titles and presenters are listed at the end of this issue of the Supplement). If you need detailed information, please contact the presenter directly or the executive office of JSZWM (e-mail: tsubota@cc.gifu-u.ac.jp).
Submitted by Koichi Murata, DVM, PhD; Chief of International Liaison Committee of JSZWM/ Veterinarian of Kobe Municipal Oji Zoo, 3-1, OJI-CHO, NADA-KU, KOBE 657-0838, JAPAN.  Telephone: +81-78-861-5624; FAX: +81-78-861-5640. E-mail: k_murata@muf.biglobe.ne.jp)

News from Europe. Summary of EWDA Board meeting held in Lyon on 23 September 1999
Participants: Torsten Mörner, Marc Artois, Kai Frölich.
Invited participants: Tony Sainsbury and a representative of Victor Briones
The main items of discussion were as follows:
1.  WDA membership:  Torsten Mörner suggested the introduction of a category of "associate membership" of the WDA.  He envisaged that, for a reduced fee of approximately 20-30 DM, associate members would receive the WDA Supplement but not the Journal of Wildlife Diseases.  It was hoped that introduction of this new category would stem the current decline in WDA membership and facilitate the participation of individuals from less developed countries.  The European Board encouraged him to request the WDA Board to consider the introduction of associate membership.
2.  Finances:  Marc Artois reported that there was currently a balance of 1500 euros in the EWDA account. He proposed that part of this sum should be spent on an award for the best student presentation at Zaragoza 2000.
3.  Auction:  Torsten Mörner proposed that an "auction" should be held at the 2000 meeting in Zaragoza to raise money for other student awards. He described the auctions that take place at WDA meetings in the USA and was asked to organise the first EWDA auction at Zaragoza.
4.  EWDA meeting, Zaragoza 2000:  Possible dates for the EWDA meeting at Zaragoza in 2000 were discussed.  Although the first week of October was provisionally selected, it emerged after the meeting that late September would be a better time.  The meeting will last 4 days as usual (1st day for registration, 2nd and 3rd for scientific sessions and 4th for the post-Congress trip) and will include open sessions, and special sessions on "diseases and management of game species" and "predators, prey and disease".
5.  2002 EWDA meeting:  Heidelberg was suggested as a possible host city for the EWDA congress in 2002.
6.  Board membership:  Some changes to the current Board membership were discussed but this issue was postponed for discussion during the plenary session at Zaragoza.
7.  European network on wildlife disease:  Kai Frölich reported on the current status of the network and the last meeting at Madrid.
  Submitted by: Christian Gortázar, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Apartado (P.O.Box) 535, 13.080 Ciudad Real, Spain. Tel. +34 926 225659 Fax +34 926 225184.

Wildlife disease surveillance in Europe takes off!  In 1993, the OIE established a working group on wildlife diseases.  The purpose of this group, which meets annually, is to provide the OIE with an epidemiological overview of zoonoses and diseases of economic importance.  In Europe, the gathering of such information has occurred thanks to the network of the European section of the Wildlife Disease Association (EWDA), presided over by Torsten Mörner (Uppsala).  However, this year, a co-ordinated Action Program for Europe was initiated within the scope of FAIR (a program of agricultural research of the European Union).  Its purpose is to establish better exchange of information on important wild animal diseases among member countries of the Union.  The intention is to create directories of technical expertise and a system for wildlife health surveillance.  There are 14 participating countries; two others have chosen not to participate.  Italy, Austria and Portugal are not yet represented. However, Victor Briones, the co-ordinator, hopes to have their participation in one form or another.  The first meeting of participants in this co-operative Action Program will take place soon, and I will report on this meeting in the following paragraph.
A group at Complutense University in Madrid launched the Action Program last spring.  The Program has been very well received and funded by the European Union (budget of 300,000 euros).  The Spanish organizers are very open, co-operative and well organized.  They have taken full advantage of the centralization of epidemiologic data already being carried out by the EWDA.  It seems clear that the co-ordinator wants this work to continue and to strengthen it. I have agreed to organize a workshop, which will be held in the very near future, to establish a 10-year-plan.
 As for other activities, preparation of a catalogue of wildlife diseases in Europe has begun, co-ordinated by Hugh Reid of the Moredun Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland. Victor Briones has commenced compiling a directory of laboratories and institutions relevant to wildlife diseases in Europe.
 The work that has already been accomplished regarding wildlife diseases in Europe owes much to the “scientific documentation” and “publication” teams of Agence Française de Securite Sanitaire des Aliments, Nancy, particularly for production of BIPAS (Bulletin d’Information sur la Pathologie des Animaux Sauvages en France).  In the immediate future, it will be important to establish in detail the mechanisms to enhance and co-ordinate the roles of all European (European Division of the Wildlife Disease Association, Groupe d’Etude de l’Ecopathologie de la Faune Sauvage) and international (OIE, WHO) partners in the Action Program in order to offer veterinary and health officials, consumers and citizens of the European Union, the best information available on the health of our wildlife.
Submitted by: Marc Artois (translated by F A Leighton), Telephone +33 3 83 29 89 50; Fax: +33 3 83 29 89 59; e-mail: marc.artois@nancy.afssr.fr

BIPAS: Volume 20 of BIPAS (Bulletin d’Information sur la Pathologie des Animaux Sauvages en France) has been published. It contains a comprehensive summary of the wildlife disease surveillance activities of the SAGIR (Surveillance Sanitaire de la Faune Sauvage) network in 1998. There are articles on lead poisoning in ducks by A Duranel, botulism in waterfowl by K Jubilo and F Lamarque and Newcastle disease in double-breasted cormorants by T Kuiken. A valuable bibliography of publications on wildlife disease in Europe from 1990 to June 1999 also appears in this issue. This bibliography is maintained by AFSSA (Agence Française de Securite Sanitaire des Aliments), Nancy and is submitted annually to the OIE working group on wildlife diseases. If you publish any papers relating to wildlife disease in Europe, please send a copy to Dr Marc Artois, AFSSA Nancy, Domaine de Pixérécourt, BP 9, F-54220 Malzéville, France. Copies of BIPAS may be obtained free-of-charge from Dr Marc Artois at the same address.

World Veterinary Congress: A joint meeting of the European Division of the Wildlife Disease Association (EWDA), World Association of Wildlife Veterinarians (WAWV) and the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians (EAZWV) was held during the World Veterinary Congress in Lyon, France, 23-29 September 1999. The authors and titles of papers presented during the plenary sessions were as follows:

EWDA/WAWV session on 23 September 1999
M. Artois (France). The control of infectious diseases in European wildlife.
T. Mörner (Sweden). Economically important diseases in free-ranging wildlife.
A.W. Sainsbury (UK). Monitoring wildlife health in the UK: Current status and recommendations for the future.
F. Scullion (Ireland). Veterinary health management plans for the control of economically important diseases in wild fresh water fish.
G.S. Pandey (Zambia). Study on tuberculosis in Kafue Lechwe and its public health significance in Zambia.
EAZWV session on 24 September 1999
P. Dollinger (Switzerland). Zoonosis surveillance and prevention in international zoo animal trade and zoological gardens.
W. Rietschel (Germany). Zoonoses in primates kept in zoological gardens.
M. Brack (Germany). Anthropozoonotic agents in non-human primates.
G.M. Dorrestein (The Netherlands). Zoonoses in birds.
J.K. Kirkwood (UK). Spongiform encephalopathies in captive wild animals in Europe 1986-1999.
P. Moisson (France). Tuberculosis in zoo mammals.

European Section.   Material suitable for publication in the Newsletter includes news of recent wildlife disease outbreaks in Europe, short case reports, announcements and reports of relevant meetings in Europe, and job and scholarship announcements. Submissions should be in English, but members for whom English is a second language and who send material in basic English or in their own language, will be accommodated as far as possible. Deadline for submission of articles for the next issue (April 2000) is 21 February 2000.  Please mail (floppy disk preferred), fax or e-mail submissions to Seamus Kennedy, Veterinary Sciences Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Stoney Road, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland; telephone +44 (1232) 525701, fax: +44 (1232) 525767, e-mail: seamus.kennedy@dani.gov.uk
 

WDA SECTION CHAIRS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Australasian Section.  For information regarding the Australasian Section, contact Lee Skerratt, School of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Princes Hwy, Werribee, Victoria 3030 Australia.  Telephone: 61 3 9742 8330; fax: 61 3 9741 0401; email: skerratt@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

European Section.   For information regarding the European Section, contact Torsten Morner, The National Veterinary Institute, Department of Wildlife, Box 7073, S750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.  Telephone: +46-1867-4214; fax: +46-1830-9162; email: Torsten.Morner@SVA.SE

Latin American Section.  For information regarding the Latin American Section, contact Alonso Aguirre, TUSVM Wildlife Clinic, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.  Telephone: (508) 839-7918; fax: (508) 839-7930; email: aguirre@wpti.org

Nordic Section.  For information regarding the Nordic Section, contact Hans-Henrik Dietz, Danish Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Fur Animal and Wildlife Diseases, 2 Hangovej, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.  Telephone: 45-89-37-24-17; fax: 45-89-37-24-70; email: hhd@svs.dk

Wildlife Veterinarian Section.  For information regarding the Wildlife Veterinarian Section, contact Dr. Terry Kreeger, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 2362 Highway 34, Wheatland, Wyoming 82201 USA.  Telephone: 307-322-2571; FAX 307-766-5630; email: tekreege@wyoming.com
 

TRAINING/EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Graduate Study in Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology.   A three year residency/Doctor of Veterinary Science program in Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology, commencing September 1, 2000, will be offered by the Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph and the Toronto Zoo, with the support of the Zoological Society of Toronto.  Relevant preparatory education including pathology, aquatic animal and wildlife diseases is carried out at O.V.C. during the first 8 months. The resident is then based for 28 months at the Toronto Zoo, working in all aspects of the zoo veterinary program, under the supervision of the zoo's two veterinarians, who are A.C.Z.M. diplomats.  The Toronto Zoo houses over 6000 specimens, including invertebrates and fish, in extensive outdoor and enclosed exhibits on a 700-acre site.
Specialists in reproduction and nutrition are based at the zoo.  In addition to clinical work, the resident will perform necropsies.  Follow-up pathology is completed one day a week at Guelph working in
consultation with O.V.C. pathologists.  There is a comprehensive examination in the area of Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology at the end of the second year of the program.  A thesis
describing the results of an applied research project must be defended successfully prior to graduation.  Remuneration (about C$27,000 in the first year) is commensurate with that of residents in comparable programs at the Ontario Veterinary College.
 Applicants must possess a D.V.M. or equivalent qualification, and must meet the standards for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Guelph.  Selection of the successful applicant is based on a combination of academic criteria, relevant interest and experience, referees' evaluations, and an assessment of the candidate's career goals and motivation.  Requests for further information, and application forms, should be addressed to The Graduate Secretary, Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G
2W1; Email: tdavis@uoguelph.ca.  Telephone or Email inquiries should be directed to Dr. Ian Barker (519) 823 8800, Ext. 4616; FAX (519) 8245930; Email ibarker@ovc.uoguelph.ca.  Closing date for receipt of completed applications and supporting documentation is February 25, 2000.

Internship in NativeWildlife Medicine/Rehabilitation.  A year-long internship in native wildlife medicine and rehabilitation is being offered to veterinarians by The Wildlife Center of Virginia.  The Wildlife Center is a private, non-profit, organization with a professionally staffed, fully equipped, 5700 square foot hospital, research, rehabilitation, and education center located in Waynesboro, Virginia, in the heart of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
 WCV is presented with over 2,500 patients annually representing over 200 different species.  Seventy percent of the patients are birds and approximately half of the birds are raptors.  Common non-avian patients include turtles, deer, opossums, squirrels, and rabbits, foxes, and bears.
The intern will be supervised by a board-certified wildlife veterinarian and assisted by a licensed veterinary technician, rehabilitation staff and numerous volunteers.  The intern will also advise wildlife rehabilitators and supervise senior veterinary students from various schools.
The intern will be involved in all aspects of wildlife medicine and rehabilitation including physical examination, sample collection, radiography, diagnosis, anesthesia, surgery, medical treatment, physical therapy, necropsy, husbandry, record maintenance, telephone consultations and presentations at rounds.  Teaching. conference presentations and writing for publication are encouraged.
Veterinary candidates must have a strong interest in native wildlife medicine, especially avian medicine and must have well-developed interpersonal and clinical skills.  Experience in wildlife medicine is desirable, but not required.  Preference will be given to applicants with clinical experience.  Interested candidates should send a letter of intent, curriculum vitae, veterinary school transcript, and three letters of reference.  A Virginia veterinary license will be required.  The deadline for applications is March 1, 2000.  An interview will be required.  The selection will be made by April 15 for a June 1 starting date.  The salary will be $18,000.  Further information about the Wildlife Center of Virginia is available at our website at www.wildlifecenter.org.  Correspondence should be addressed to Edward J. Gentz, MS, DVM, DACZM, The Wildlife Center of Virginia, P.O. Box 1557, Waynesboro, Virginia  22980 (e-mail: gentz@wildlifecenter.org; phone 540-942-9453).

Zoo Short Course at the University of Tennessee.  Two five-day courses on zoological medicine will be held at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine during 2000 for veterinarians and veterinary students.  The college is offering the program for the second year, due to the success of the 1999 program, said course director Dr. Ed Ramsay, associate professor in the Department of Comparative Medicine.  Veterinarians from the U.S., England, and Italy, and student from five U.S. veterinary schools attended in 1999.
 The upcoming course will take place in Knoxville, TN from May 22-26 for veterinarians and June 19-23 for veterinary students.  Continuing education credit will be available for veterinarians.  The student course is intended for veterinary students in the pre-clinical years of their curriculum that anticipate applying for zoo externshipps or residencies.
 The zoo course consists of lectures and laboratories, and is conducted in conjunction with the Knoxville Zoological Gardens, a facility currently participating in more than 20 Species Survival Plans.  It will include a wide range of topics in captive wildlife medicine, focusing on those aspects of zoo animal medicine and husbandry not covered by other continuing education programs.  Topics will include zoo animal nutrition, infectious diseases of reptiles and  felids, raptor medicine, non-human primate preventive medicine, immobilization, darting systems and elephant and rhinoceros medicine.  Faculty will include Dr. Ramsay and Dr. Juergen Schumacher, assistant professor, both of whom are diplomats of the American College of Zoological Medicine.
 Tuition will be $500 for students and $900 for veterinarians.  For additional course information, contact Dr. Ramsay at (865) 974-5570, FAX (865) 974-5640; or email: eramsay@utk.edu.  You can also access the veterinary college’s main web site (www.vet.utk.edu) under educational programs.  Enrollment is limited to 10 for the veterinary session of the course and 20 for the student session.  Veterinarians may register by contacting Barbara Campbell at (865) 974-7264; FAX: (865) 974-4773; or email: bcampb4@utk.edu.  Students may register by contacting Dr. Ramsay.

Directory of Post-Graduate Educational Opportunities in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.   The World Association of Wildlife Veterinarians has recently produced a Directory of Post-Graduate Educational Opportunities in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.  The Directory covers opportunities in over fifty countries and is a must for veterinary students or graduates interested in furthering their careers in the field of wildlife medicine.  For further information, please contact the Secretary of the WAWV at: F.Scullion@zoo.co.uk
 

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association 18th Annual Symposium.  March 14-18, 2000; Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Veterinary continuing education hours are available.  Full day veterinary session.  For more information, please contact the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, 14 North 7th Avenue, St. Cloud, MN 56303 USA.  Telephone: (320) 259-4086; email: nwra@cloudnet.com or visit the NWRA website at www.nwrawildlife.org.

British Veterinary Zoological Society Spring Meeting 2000 'Emerging Diseases'. 13-14th May 2000; Cotswold Wildlife Park, England.  Anyone wishing to present a paper should contact Michael Waters (mwaters@rvc.ac.uk), Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane North Mymms, Hatfield Herts AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Fax: +44(1707)661464.
Student papers, reviews and original research are all very welcome.  For registration details, please contact Derek Lyon (DGLyon9@aol.com), 4 Butts Hill Court, Chester Road, Gresford, Wrexham LL12 8NH, United Kingdom. Fax: +44(1978)852065

49th Annual Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association.  June 3-8, 2000; Jackson, Wyoming.  Next year’s conference will held at the Jackson Lake Lodge located within Grand Teton National Park.  This will be a great opportunity for the family to enjoy hiking, river rafting, sightseeing, fishing, horseback riding, golf, and tennis.  The town of Jackson offers hundreds of unique shopping opportunities.  Yellowstone National Park and the National Elk Refuge are adjacent to Grand Teton National Park.  Attendees are encouraged to make early reservations at the Jackson Lake Lodge (800-628-9988) and for rental cars in Jackson.  For more information see “WDA Activities” Section of this Supplement or contact Terry Kreeger, Wyoming Game and Fish Department at 307-322-2571 or tekreege@wyoming.com.

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine Joint Conference.  September 17-21, 2000; New Orleans, Louisiana.  The AAZV will hold its’ annual conference in conjunction with the IAAAM.  Joint program sessions include Environmental Issues/Facilities Design, Conservation Medicine/Reports for the Field, Toxicology/ Pharmacology/ Therapeutics, What’s New in Diagnostics?, Nutrition, and Reptiles/Amphibians.   AAZV concurrent sessions will be Avian, Large Mammals/Ungulates, Small Mammals/Carnivores/Primates, Case Reports/Practice Tips, Innovations in Training at Home and Abroad, New and Improved Surgical Techniques, and Preventive Medicine/Group and Herd Health.  IAAAM concurrent sessions will be Infectious Disease, Immunology/Clinical Pathology, Case Reports, and Pathology.  There will also be a poster session, veterinary student paper competitions, and workshops/wet labs.
 If you wish to present a paper, please contact either Scott Citino or Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf by February 15, 2000 to obtain information for contacting the appropriate session chairperson.  Scott Citino DVM, Conference Program Co-chairperson, White Oaks Plantation, 3823 Owens Road, Yulee, FL 32097-2145.  Telephone: (904) 225-3387; FAX (904) 225-3337.  Email: scottc@wogilman.com.  Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf DVM PhD, Conference Program Co-chairperson, NCSU Pylon Research Laboratories, 617 Hutton Street, Raleigh, NC 27606.  Telephone: (919) 515-8111; FAX: (919) 515-4237.  Email: Suzanne_Stoskopf@ncsu.edu.
 For additional conference information, please contact Wilbur Amand VMD, Executive Director AAZV, 6 North Pennell Road, Media, PA 19063 USA.  Telephone: (610) 892-4812; FAX: (610) 892-4813.  Email: 75634.235@compuserve.com.

Year 2000 Meeting of the European Division of the Wildlife Disease Association (EWDA).  Date to be announced (late September/October suggested), 2000; Zaragoza, Spain.  The 4th meeting of the EWDA is provisionally scheduled to take place in Zaragoza, Spain during the autumn of 2000.  The SEDIFAS Wildlife Diagnostic Service will organize it at Zaragoza University.  A meeting of the Groupe d'Etude de l'Ecopathologie de la Faune Sauvage (GEEFSM) is due to take place around the same time and a joint conference session between EWDA and GEEFSM is planned.  For further information, contact Christian Gortázar, SEDIFAS Wildlife Diagnostic Service, Veterinary Faculty, Zaragoza University, c./ Miguel Servet 177, E-50.013 Zaragoza, Spain. Fax: +34 976 105 209; Tel: +34 610 444 207; E-mail: ebronatura@facilnet.es

2000 American College of Zoological Medicine Certification Examination. October 10-12, 2000; Yulee, Florida.  The American College of Zoological Medicine Certification Examination will be offered at White Oak Conservation Center, Yulee, Florida on October 10-12, 2000. An applicant must be a licensed veterinarian and senior author on at least five refereed publications.  Candidates who have completed a two year ACZM-approved post-graduate training program must have an additional year of experience under the supervision of an ACZM Diplomat. An alternate route requiring a minimum of six years post-graduate experience in zoological medicine also exists. A mentor program to assist all candidates is in place.
 The two part examination consists of a qualifying examination on the first day, which includes the medicine of avian, aquatic, reptilian, mammalian, and wildlife species. Candidates who pass may take the certifying examination in either general zoological (birds, reptiles, and mammals), wildlife, aquatic, avian or herptile (reptile and amphibian) medicine offered on the following day. Successful candidates for Diplomat status must pass both the qualifying and certifying examinations.
 The deadline for receipt of completed applications is March 31, 2000. For application materials, specific qualification requirements, or other questions concerning ACZM, contact Dr. Mike Loomis, Secretary, ACZM, North Carolina Zoological Park 4410 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27203, Phone (336) 879-7630, FAX (336) 879-7637, or email mike.loomis@ncmail.net.  An examination packet can also be downloaded from the ACZM web site at www.worldzoo.org/aczm/aczmindex.htm

Australasian WDA Meeting. December 3-8, 2000; New Zealand.  The 2000 Australasian WDA meeting will be held in New Zealand from December 3-8.  For more information contact Padraig Duignan at the Department Veterinary Pathology & Public Health, Veterinary Science, Massey University, P.B. 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand.  Email: P.J.Duignan@massey.ac.nz.  In 2001, a combined meeting of the Australasian WDA, Australian Association of Veterinary Conservation Biology, World Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, and the Wildlife Interest Group of the New Zealand Veterinary Association is planned to be held in Sydney.  Further details to follow.

Note from the Editor: Please send meeting announcements, diagnostic riddles, position and grant announcements, miscellaneous items, etc. for the Supplement to the Journal of Wildlife Diseases to Charlotte F. Quist, SCWDS/Athens Diagnostic Lab, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602; telephone: (706) 542-5349; fax: (706) 542-5977; e-mail: CQUIST@CVM.VET.UGA.EDU   Double spaced typewritten or electronic mail files in WordPerfect 5.1 or Microsoft Word are preferred.  The deadline for submission of articles for the next issue (April 2000, JWD Vol. 36, No. 2) is February 25, 2000.