|
* * * * * * * * * *
1. Florida prepares for arrival of lethal bird flu [edited]
By David Fleshler
Sun-Sentinel
June 26, 2015
The bird migration route that stretches from Canada to the Caribbean brings millions of feathered visitors to Florida in the fall.
But this season, agriculture and wildlife officials fear the famous Atlantic Flyway will bring something else: Bird flu.
"The viruses are expected to be found in the Atlantic Flyway later this year," wrote Nick Wiley, executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in a report to the commission.
The agency is preparing for the "likely" arrival of the disease, he wrote, investigating deaths of wild birds and planning to step up testing and surveillance. Among the steps will be testing birds killed by hunters, testing ones brought to wildlife rehabilitation agencies and monitoring reports of bird deaths for species known to carry the disease, including mottled ducks, teal, gadwall, wigeon, and whistling ducks, as well as turkey and birds of prey.
The Florida Department of Agriculture is holding meetings with federal and state agencies, as well as the poultry industry, to coordinate a response, said spokeswoman Jennifer Meale. The agency has been involved in training sessions and workshops, and has been providing information to non-commercial poultry producers on how to report sick birds.
Full text:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-bird-flu-florida-20150626-story.html
********
|
|
2. Horse Owners: There's Still Time to Take Action Against WNV
By Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
June 26, 2015
Peak mosquito activity in the United States occurs July through October, which places horses at the highest risk of contracting West Nile virus (WNV). Much of the United States has experienced increased rainfall this spring, and the first cases of West Nile have already been documented this year. With the right vaccine and preventive measures, it's not too late for owners to help protect their horses against this life-threatening disease.
West Nile is transmitted by mosquitoes-which feed on infected birds-to horses, humans, and other mammals. In 2014, the United States recorded 19,623 cases of West Nile disease or infection in mosquitoes, birds, humans, and horses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported as of January 2015. California topped the charts with 7,008 cases, followed by Texas with 2,484 cases.
Vaccination remains the most effective way to help protect horses against WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases, such as Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and Western equine encephalitis (WEE).
Full text:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/35998/horse-owners-theres-still-time-to-take-action-against-wnv
********
|
|
3. OIE approves registration of BOVIGAM TB Kit in diagnostics manual, boosting global effort to manage bovine tuberculosis
By Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
Bovine Veterinarian
June 26, 2015
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recently approved the registration of the BOVIGAMTM TB Kit from Thermo Fisher Scientific in the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals 2015. It is the only bovine tuberculosis (bTB), Interferon-γ in vitro assay that is OIE-registered. The kit is validated for use in cattle, goat, buffalo (syncerus caffer) and sheep.
"The OIE registration of BOVIGAM is a major step toward a world free of bTB," said Martin Guillet, global head and general manager of animal health at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "It will help make bTB programs worldwide more efficient and better accepted, in line with the Thermo Fisher Scientific's mission of enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer."
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/oqft75k
********
|
|
4. West Nile virus found in Yakima County mosquitoes [WA]
Bonney Lake Courier-Herald
June 26, 2015
The first West Nile virus detection of the season was found in mosquitoes collected in Yakima County this week by Benton County Mosquito Control District. It's the first sign that the virus is active in our state this summer. The warmer spring and early summer weather is ideal for high mosquito numbers. Preventing mosquito bites is the most effective way to avoid West Nile virus disease.
Department of Health and local partners have already started their yearly trapping and testing of mosquitoes that can carry the virus. Each year since 2005, West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes, birds, or animals in south-central Washington, and occasionally in other areas of the state. Over the winter, two dead birds collected for bird flu testing in Benton County tested positive for West Nile virus. Dead birds can be the first sign that the virus is in an area and we encourage people to report dead birds online. West Nile virus activity in Washington varies from year to year so it's not known how many people may become sick with the virus this year.
Full text:
http://www.blscourierherald.com/news/310102321.html
********
|
|
5. Rabies control to be stepped up after 9th positive Kerr case [TX]
Bonnie Arnold
Hill Country Community Journal
June 26, 2015
In the face of a ninth positive test for rabies in Kerr County, county officials met with Kerrville area safety officers and two state officials to discuss in an emergency meeting what the next local steps must be.
Ray Garcia, chief of the Kerr County Animal Control Department, was joined by Edward Wozniak, DVM, state Zoonosis Control Veterinarian from the Uvalde office of Texas Department of State Health Services, Region 8; and Justin Henefey of the same office, to address commissioners Thursday afternoon.
"The number one thing to do, is for people to have their pets vaccinated," Garcia said. "It's in the interest of public health and safety. Our ninth rabies case was confirmed by positive test results."
He said Kerr County's seventh case concerned a family pet and a skunk and a raccoon. The eighth case was another raccoon.
Full text:
http://www.hccommunityjournal.com/article_ba895928-1c19-11e5-8c0a-d33b7477f833.html
********
|
|
6. New Senate bill would halt the sale of Plum Island to highest bidder
By Rachel Young
Suffolk Times
June 28, 2015
A new Senate bill would prevent Plum Island from being sold to the highest bidder and pave the way for ownership of the mostly undeveloped parcel to be transferred to a federal environmental agency.
The Plum Island Conservation Act, introduced this week by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), would change an existing law to prevent the General Services Administration, which oversees the island in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, from selling to the highest bidder.
"We are extremely grateful to all of our senators who have been pushing to preserve Plum Island for the past number of years and this is a huge step in the right direction," said Leah Schmalz, program director of Save the Sound, the bi-state program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment.
According to Mr. Schumer, the bill would also give the GSA the flexibility to transfer the sale of the island to a national environmental agency that would conserve it as a wildlife sanctuary. In addition, the legislation requires the GSA and DHS to work with federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency to make recommendations to Congress about the agency best suited for "administrative jurisdiction" over the island.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/qyeojdt
********
|
|
7. Human 'superspreaders' spawn Korea MERS outbreak with 21% death risk
By Jason Gale and Natasha Khan, Bloomberg News
The Journal Gazette
June 26, 2015
SINGAPORE - South Korea's MERS outbreak was fanned by three human "superspreaders" and followed a pattern of transmission similar to the SARS epidemic more than a decade ago, researchers in Hong Kong found.
In the largest outbreak outside the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus has infected 181 people and so far killed 31, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. About one in five of the cases will probably be fatal, Benjamin Cowling and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong wrote in a study.
With the outbreak appearing to be ending, public health authorities may start to probe how a deadly disease was allowed to spread so quickly, the authors said. At least three-quarters of the cases can be attributed to clusters in hospitals started by three highly infectious people, or superspreaders. The index patient spread the virus to 27 people in one hospital alone.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/ppo8bna
********
|
|
