| oral vaccination of wildlife against rabies: differences among host species in vaccine uptake efficiency. | oral vaccination using attenuated and recombinant rabies vaccines has been proven a powerful tool to combat rabies in wildlife. however, clear differences have been observed in vaccine titers needed to induce a protective immune response against rabies after oral vaccination in different reservoir species. the mechanisms contributing to the observed resistance against oral rabies vaccination in some species are not completely understood. hence, the immunogenicity of the vaccine virus strain, spb ... | 2017 | 28641888 |
| visual acuity in the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | the visual acuity of striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) was tested using a 2 alternative forced-choice task with square wave gratings. skunks were reinforced with food items for touching a ball in front of a striped stimulus when paired with a ball in front of a solid gray stimulus. skunks demonstrated a maximum visual acuity of 0.42 cycles per degree when tested with bright outdoor illumination. this poor visual acuity may be due to their nocturnal lifestyle, lack of predation, and is consisten ... | 2017 | 28333485 |
| bird feeders as locations for skunk uptake of oral rabies vaccine baits. | significantly more (54%, p=0.003) placebo baits placed under 26 bird feeders in arizona, us were removed by striped skunks ( mephitis mephitis ) than at paired, nonfeeder locations (19%). baiting at bird feeders could supplement traditional oral rabies vaccine bait placement in urban-suburban areas while engaging the public in rabies control efforts. | 2017 | 28151083 |
| primary diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma in a striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | a 10-year-old female striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) was admitted with severe abdominal distension and lethargy. cytological examination of the peritoneal fluid revealed activated mesothelial cells. at necropsy, numerous growing together, projecting, 2 to 20 mm in diameter tawny to white masses were scattered throughout the peritoneum including the mesentery, omentum and intestinal serosa. microscopically, the tumor was composed of prominent papillo-tubular structures, and immunohistochemicall ... | 2016 | 26568187 |
| successful diagnosis and treatment of bilateral perineal hernias in a skunk (mephitis mephitis). | this brief communication describes the diagnosis and surgical treatment of bilateral perineal hernias in a 1-yr-old, intact female, striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) that was evaluated for chronic intermittent constipation, following early age, bilateral anal sacculectomy for descenting. complete blood count and biochemistry results were within the reference ranges. diagnosis was based on history, physical exam, clinical signs, and diagnostic imaging. a two-stage surgical approach for treatment ... | 2015 | 26352963 |
| modelling the dispersal of the two main hosts of the raccoon rabies variant in heterogeneous environments with landscape genetics. | predicting the geographic spread of wildlife epidemics requires knowledge about the movement patterns of disease hosts or vectors. the field of landscape genetics provides valuable approaches to study dispersal indirectly, which in turn may be used to understand patterns of disease spread. here, we applied landscape genetic analyses and spatially explicit models to identify the potential path of raccoon rabies spread in a mesocarnivore community. we used relatedness estimates derived from micros ... | 2014 | 25469156 |
| survey of cardiac pathologies in captive striped skunks (mephitis mephitis). | cardiac disease is a common finding in small mammals but it is rarely reported in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis). the aim of this survey was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiac disease in striped skunks and to characterize the types of cardiac disease that might be present. in april 2010, a questionnaire was sent to veterinarians in zoologic collections with membership in the international species inventory system. surveys were distributed to 55 institutions in the united states, canada, a ... | 2014 | 25000693 |
| intervertebral disk disease in 3 striped skunks (mephitis mephitis). | to describe diagnostic findings, surgical technique, and outcome in 3 striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) with a history of paraparesis. | 2014 | 24712858 |
| effect of age and ration on diet-tissue isotopic (δ13c, δ15n) discrimination in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis). | an important prerequisite for the effective use of stable isotopes in animal ecology is the accurate assessment of isotopic discrimination factors linking animals to their diets for a multitude of tissue types. surprisingly, these values are poorly known in general and especially for mammalian carnivores and omnivores in particular. also largely unknown are the factors that influence diet-tissue isotopic discrimination such as nutritional quality and age. we raised adult and juvenile striped sku ... | 2014 | 24506487 |
| physiological adaptations to prolonged fasting in the overwintering striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | wintertime physiology of captive striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) in response to cold ambient temperature (ta) and fasting was investigated with body temperature (tb) and activity recordings and analyses of hematology, plasma biochemistry and tissue fatty acids (fa). after 105 days of food deprivation, the skunks were in phase ii of fasting indicated by the elevated plasma nonesterified fa and glycerol but no accumulation of nitrogen end products. shorter-chain saturated and monounsaturated fa ... | 2013 | 23981473 |
| graphically characterizing the movement of a rabid striped skunk epizootic across the landscape in northwestern wyoming. | a striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) rabies epizootic in northwestern wyoming was studied from the index case in 1988 to the last case in 1993, and possibly is the first rabies epizootic in a previously rabies-free zone monitored from beginning to end. the 843 km(2) study area comprised skunk habitat along 90 km of shoshone river's floodplain from bighorn lake upstream to cody. of 1,015 skunks tested, 215 were rabies-positive. integrating spatial and temporal data from positive cases, we analyzed ... | 2013 | 23812724 |
| neutral and acidic milk oligosaccharides of the striped skunk (mephitidae: mephitis mephitis). | the biological significance of the tremendous variation in proportions of oligosaccharides and lactose among mammalian milks is poorly understood. we investigated milk oligosaccharides of the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) and compared these results to other species of the clade mustelida. individual oligosaccharides were identified by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. in the striped skunk, six oligosaccharides were identified: isoglobotriose, 2'-fucosyllactose, a-tetrasaccharid ... | 2013 | 23607515 |
| measuring and selecting scales of effect for landscape predictors in species-habitat models. | wildlife managers often use habitat models to determine species habitat requirements and to identify locations for conservation efforts, uses which depend on accurate specification of species-habitat relationships. prior study suggests that model performance may be influenced by the way we measure environmental predictors. we hypothesized that species responses to landscape predictors are best represented by landscape composition-based measurements, rather than distance-based measurements. we al ... | 2012 | 23387125 |
| lack of genetic structure and female-specific effect of dispersal barriers in a rabies vector, the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | evaluating the permeability of potential barriers to movement, dispersal and gene exchanges can help describe spreading patterns of wildlife diseases. here, we used landscape genetics methods to assess the genetic structure of the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis), which is a frequent vector of rabies, a lethal zoonosis of great concern for public health. our main objective was to identify landscape elements shaping the genetic structure of this species in southern québec, canada, in an area whe ... | 2012 | 23166760 |
| idiopathic systemic aa-amyloidosis in a skunk (mephitis mephitis). | this report describes a case of systemic amyloidosis in a captive striped skunk. at necropsy, bilateral alopecia, as well as reno-, hepato-, and splenomegaly were present. congo red staining and immunohistochemistry revealed depositions of aa-amyloid in different organs. the lack of a predisposing disease is suggestive of idiopathic systemic aa-amyloidosis. | 2012 | 22448530 |
| oral vaccination against raccoon rabies: landscape heterogeneity and timing of distribution influence wildlife contact rates with the onrab vaccine bait. | aerial distribution of oral vaccine baits is one of the available strategies for controlling the spread of infectious wildlife diseases. this technique has commonly been used to control rabies in wild carnivores and, together with other techniques, was used to immunize wild populations of raccoons (procyon lotor) and striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) after the detection of the first rabid raccoon in the province of quebec, canada, in 2006. vaccine bait distribution was conducted over large area ... | 2011 | 21719823 |
| response of captive skunks to microencapsulated tetracycline. | a captive striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) study was conducted between february and june 2004 at the united states department of agriculture, animal and plant health inspection service, wildlife services national wildlife research center, fort collins, colorado, usa. the main objective was to determine the percentage of adult striped skunks that were marked after consuming placebo oral rabies vaccine (orv) baits containing 100 mg of an experimental microencapsulated (coated microparticle) tetra ... | 2010 | 20688717 |
| nutrition and behavior of striped skunks. | skunks are an integral part of the environment and a fascinating component of the earth's biodiversity. their behavioral idiosyncrasies, made possible by their unique method of defense, make them entertaining to watch in the wild, and their beneficial habits far outweigh any potential negative attributes. striped skunks can be a benefit in urban and agricultural areas because they prey on harmful and damaging insects and rodents that plague gardens and crops. the general public should be encoura ... | 2009 | 19341957 |
| polymorphic microsatellite markers for the striped skunk, mephitis mephitis, and other mephitids. | we report 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci primers developed for striped skunks (mephitis mephitis), a widespread mesocarnivore in north america. numbers of alleles in these loci ranged from seven to 14 and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.76 to 1.0. these primers will be useful for studying population dynamics of skunks where rabies is endemic and will be useful to estimate genetic relatedness among females sharing winter dens. most of these primers amplify across species within the ... | 2009 | 21564657 |
| energetic consequences and ecological significance of heterothermy and social thermoregulation in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis). | we assessed patterns and energetic consequences of different overwintering strategies, torpor, and social thermoregulation in the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) under natural ambient temperature and photoperiod. striped skunks entered spontaneous daily torpor, with the lowest torpid body temperature (t(b)) reaching 26.0 degrees c, the lowest recorded t(b) for a carnivore. patterns of daily torpor differed between solitary and grouped skunks: all solitary skunks regularly entered daily torpor, ... | 2006 | 17160886 |
| effects of surgical implantation of temperature dataloggers on reproduction of captive striped skunks (mephitis mephitis). | a total of 20 (14 females, six males) captive striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) with miniature temperature dataloggers implanted free in the abdominal cavity were examined for reproductive performance and pathology because of implants. eleven of 12 female skunks reproduced successfully 45.9+/-3.7 days after surgery to remove implanted dataloggers. the pregnancy rate of 91.7% (11/12) was much higher than other captive studies and was comparable with that of wild skunks. eight striped skunks (six ... | 2004 | 15732593 |
| retroperitoneal teratoma in a skunk (mephitis mephitis). | a 4-yr-old striped skunk (mephitis mephitis) developed an 11- x 7- x 7-cm retroperitoneal mass caudal to the left kidney. the mass was surgically excised and, on the basis of histology and immunohistochemistry, diagnosed as a benign teratoma. six months later, a second histologically similar neoplasm was excised from the same location and was considered to represent local tumor recurrence. the skunk died 16 mo later without recurrence. complete excision of the tumor appeared curative in this cas ... | 2004 | 15526901 |
| secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin d deficiency in two domestic skunks (mephitis mephitis). | two privately owned domestic skunks (mephitis mephitis) developed clinical signs of hyperparathyroidism. survey radiographs, complete blood counts and biochemical profiles, including the concentrations of ionised calcium, parathyroid hormone and 25-(oh)-vitamin d, established that they were deficient in vitamin d and had secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism. they both responded to treatment, as well as to changes in their diet, and levels of exercise and exposure to sunlight. | 2004 | 15384505 |
| contact rates of raccoons (procyon lotor) at a communal feeding site in rural eastern ontario. | intra- and interspecific contact rates of 12 adult (five females, seven males) raccoons (procyon lotor) were recorded while these animals fed at a rural garbage dump 40 km north of kingston, ontario, canada from 15 june to 5 september 1995. while raccoons were being observed, they bit, and were bitten, by their conspecifics an average of 0.99 (+/- 0.21) and 1.28 (+/- 0.21) times per hour, respectively, while feeding. based on mean nightly contact rates (which included time when raccoons were not ... | 2002 | 12038131 |
| biliary cystadenoma in a striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | | 1998 | 9786524 |
| density-dependent predation by skunks using olfactory search images. | the formation of search images can create density-dependent predation. predators have been shown to form search images when searching for many small prey items in one feeding session. this paper reports experiments that test whether striped skunks can form olfactory search images in other situations: when prey are found over several days, when prey are large, and when prey are found in certain habitats. striped skunks were raised in captivity, and their reaction distance to food was measured out ... | 1997 | 28307234 |
| population and movement characteristics of radio-collared striped skunks in north dakota during an epizootic of rabies. | we observed a total of 102 striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from march to july of both 1991 and 1992 in stutsman county, north dakota (usa) during an experiment with food supplementation. twenty-three apparently healthy skunks in 1991 and 56 in 1992 were equipped with radio-collars. in 1991, one of the 23 was tested and found to be rabid. in 1992, 50 of 56 were tested; 35 (70%) were rabid. of skunks with ages estimated, 19 (66%) of 29 were first year animals in 1991 compared with nine (22%) of ... | 1997 | 9131552 |
| background prevalence of tetracycline-like fluorescence in teeth of free ranging red foxes (vulpes vulpes), striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) and raccoons (procyon lotor) in ontario, canada. | we collected and examined teeth from 3406 red foxes (vulpes vulpes) collected in ontario, canada, from 1978 to 1986, prior to large scale rabies vaccine baiting. we found tetracycline-like fluorescence in five (0.2%) of the samples. also, we observed similar fluorescences in five (0.4%) of 1103 striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) and in six (0.8%) of 744 raccoons (procyon lotor). the low prevalence of such marks would not appear to invalidate the use of tetracycline as a marking agent in vaccine ... | 1994 | 8151813 |
| trap-vaccinate-release and oral vaccination for rabies control in urban skunks, raccoons and foxes. | two rabies control tactics, trap-vaccinate-release (t-v-r) and oral vaccination were used for the control of rabies in skunks (mephitis mephitis), raccoons (procyon lotor), and foxes (vulpes vulpes) in metropolitan toronto, canada. using t-v-r, a mean of 45% to 72% (95% confidence limits of 40% to 81%) of the skunks and a mean of 17% to 68% (95% confidence limits of 14% to 76%) of the raccoons in a 60 km2 area of toronto were vaccinated against rabies between 1987 and 1991. the area has been fre ... | 1992 | 1474654 |
| volatile components in defensive spray of the spotted skunk,spilogale putorius. | gc-ms analysis of the anal sac secretion from the spotted skunk,spilogale putorius, showed three major volatile components: (e)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and 2-phenylethanethiol. minor volatile components identified from this secretion were: phenylmethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, 2-quinolinemethanethiol, bis[(e)-2-butenyl] disulfide, (e)-2-butenyl 3-methylbufyl disulfide, bis(3-methylbutyl) disulfide. all of these compounds except 2-phenylethanethioi have been identified previous ... | 1991 | 24257801 |
| new components in defensive secretion of the striped skunk,mephitis mephitis. | gc-ms analysis of the anal sac secretion of the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis), shows seven major components: (e)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, s-(e)-2-butenyl thioacetate,s-3-methylbutanyl thioacetate, 2-methylquinoline, 2-quinolinemethanethiol, ands-2-quinolinemethyl thioacetate. the following compounds previously reported from this secretion could not be confirmed: bis(2-butenyl) sulfide, (e)-2-butenyl methyl disuffide, (e)-2-butenyl propyl sulfide, butyl 3-methylbutyl disulfid ... | 1990 | 24264006 |
| rabies and rabies control in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) in three prairie regions of western north america. | the number and geographic distribution of rabies cases in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from saskatchewan (n = 2,506 cases), montana (n = 1,142), and alberta (n = 199) since 1963 were reviewed. in saskatchewan the number of cases increased steadily for 5 yr and then fluctuated consistently in a 4 yr cyclic pattern. similarly an initial sweep across the province was followed by a cyclic pattern of geographic expansion (3 to 4 yr) and reduction (1 to 2 yr). no organized control efforts were c ... | 1988 | 3045346 |
| acute toxicity of sodium monofluoroacetate to the striped skunk. | | 1987 | 3580616 |
| carcinoma of type ii pneumocytes in a striped skunk. | | 1985 | 4082392 |
| histoplasmosis in a striped skunk (mephitis mephitis schreber) from southern illinois. | | 1985 | 4078983 |
| seasonal occurrence and habitat preference of rabid skunks in southern alberta. | eighty cases of rabies in skunks (mephitis mephitis) occurred in southern alberta between december 1, 1979 and december 31, 1981. fifty-three percent (43-80) were diagnosed during march-may (breeding and parturition). there were significantly more rabid females than males during that period. nonrabid and rabid skunks appeared to select occupied sites rather than unoccupied sites for winter and maternity denning. | 1984 | 17422376 |
| ketamine hydrochloride as an immobilizing agent for striped skunks. | | 1983 | 17422250 |
| survey for rabies, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis and tularemia in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from three public use areas in northwestern arkansas. | during a skunk eradication program in late august, 1979, 53 striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) were removed from three public use areas on beaver lake, benton and carroll counties in northwestern arkansas. none of the 53 animals were positive for rabies (fluorescent antibody technique) and only one of 45 (2.2%) was positive for rabies antibodies. twenty-one of 45 animals (46.6%) tested were positive for leptospirosis; 10 of 45 (22.2%) were positive for toxoplasmosis; and none were positive for t ... | 1981 | 7338974 |
| hormonal and gestational evidence for delayed implantation in the striped skunk, mephitis mephitis. | | 1980 | 7461442 |
| the direct transmission of andersonstronglyus captivensis webster 1978 (metastrongyloidea: angiostrongylidae) in captive skunks mephitis mephitis (schreber). | | 1980 | 7427815 |
| induced ovulation, development of the corpus luteum, and tubal transport in the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | ovulatory pattern, development of the corpus luteum (cl), and early tubal transport are described for 6 unmated and 19 mated striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) killed after known copulation times. ovulation is induced by copulation and occurs around 42 hours (range = 40--50 hours) after first insemination. seventeen of 19 females killed between 36 hours and 19 days postcoitus had ovulated. two females killed at 36 hours had not ovulated; however, their follicles showed preovulatory changes and w ... | 1978 | 707306 |
| motor units and fiber types of primary ankle extensors of the skunk (mephitis mephitis). | | 1977 | 925736 |
| renal lesions in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from louisiana. | renal tissue from 100 striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) examined microscopically showed evidence of inflammation in 74% of the kidneys. azotemia was present in 20% of the skunks that had severe renal lesions. the cause of inflammation is unknown, but leptospires were cultured from kidneys or urine of 55% of these skunks. | 1977 | 916146 |
| letter: lack of fast glycoclytic fibers in the ankle extensors of the striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | | 1976 | 134118 |
| a rabies epidemic in recently captured skunks. | an epidemic of rabies occurred within a colony of captive skunks (mephitis mephitis). one of the animals has been infected with the virus in the wild and developed clinical illness near 7 weeks after capture. she transmitted the virus to three of her five offspring and one other adult. the disease spread to additional skunks when orphaned infants were adopted by lactating females. although the animals were in close contact with each other, the epidemic spread slowly. furious rabies generally did ... | 1975 | 1095793 |
| age and sex determination of striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from ontario, manitoba, and quebec. | | 1975 | 1125866 |
| an improved technique for handling striped skunks in disease investigations. | | 1970 | 16512167 |
| movements of a striped skunk infected with rabies. | | 1966 | 5978847 |
| hypothalamic neurosecretory activity in relation to the reproductive cycle in the common striped skunk (mephitis mephitis nigra; order carnivora). | | 1966 | 6007573 |
| dipetalonema mephitis n. comb. (=microfilaria mephitis: webster and beauregard, 1964) from the skunk, mephitis mephitis. | | 1965 | 14322432 |
| alterations of defensive-aggressive patterns in the descented mephitis mephitis. | | 1964 | 14214738 |
| leptospiruria in striped skunks. | | 1963 | 14084876 |
| laboratory behavior of the mephitis mephitis. | | 1963 | 14057263 |
| the bacteriologic and serologic incidence of leptospirosis among striped skunks in louisiana. | | 1963 | 13975298 |
| repair of injured bones in muskrat and striped skunk. | | 1963 | 14113659 |
| [helminths found in the skunk mephitis mephitis in the province of quebec]. | | 1951 | 14821862 |
| an assessment of shedding with the oral rabies virus vaccine strain spbn gasgas in target and non-target species. | a safety requirement for live vaccines is investigating possible shedding in recipients since the presence of replication competent vaccine in secretions could result in direct and indirect horizontal transmission. this is especially relevant for oral rabies vaccine baits that are deliberately distributed into the environment. in the current study, survival of an oral rabies virus vaccine, spbn gasgas, was examined in excretions from different target and non-target species; red fox, raccoon dog, ... | 2018 | 29325820 |
| toward an ecological framework for assessing reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens: wildlife reservoirs of trypanosoma cruzi across the southern united states. | wildlife species are critical for both feeding vectors and serving as reservoirs of zoonotic vector-borne pathogens. transmission pathways leading to disease in humans or other target taxa might be better understood and managed given a complete understanding of the relative importance of different reservoir species in nature. using the conceptual framework of "reservoir potential," which considers elements of both reservoir competence and vector-host contact, we review the wildlife reservoirs of ... | 2017 | 29106561 |
| flavor preference and efficacy of variable dose ontario rabies vaccine bait (onrab) delivery in striped skunks ( mephitis mephitis). | in north america, terrestrial wildlife rabies control is achieved by oral rabies vaccination programs that principally target mesocarnivores. success at rabies control in striped skunks ( mephitis mephitis) has been more limited and may require additional enhancements to existing bait products or novel bait designs and attractants. we evaluated preference among captive striped skunks for six different flavors of placebo ontario rabies vaccine bait (onrab®) "ultralite" baits (artemis technologies ... | 2018 | 29077542 |
| frequency of virus coinfection in raccoons ( procyon lotor) and striped skunks ( mephitis mephitis) during a concurrent rabies and canine distemper outbreak. | rabies and canine distemper virus infections in wildlife share similar presenting signs. canine distemper virus was detected using real-time pcr of conjunctival swabs in rabies positive raccoons (22/32) and skunks (7/34) during a concurrent rabies and canine distemper outbreak in ontario, canada in 2015-2016. coinfections with both viruses should be considered, particularly in distemper endemic areas that are at risk of rabies incursion. | 2018 | 29517402 |
| the role of mammalian reservoir hosts in tick-borne flavivirus biology. | small-to-medium sized mammals and large animals are lucrative sources of blood meals for ixodid ticks that transmit life-threatening tick-borne flaviviruses (tbfvs). tbfvs have been isolated from various organs obtained from wild-caught myodes and apodemus species in europe and asia. thus, these rodents are well-established reservoirs of tbfvs. wild-caught peromyscus species have demonstrated seropositivity against powassan virus, the only tbfv known to circulate in north america, suggesting tha ... | 2018 | 30234026 |
| surveys for ticks on wildlife hosts and in the environment at asian longhorned tick (haemaphysalis longicornis)-positive sites in virginia and new jersey, 2018. | haemaphysalis longicornis, the asian longhorned tick (alt), is native to eastern asia, but it has become invasive in several countries, including australia, new zealand and recently in the eastern united states (us). to identify wild mammal and avian host species in the us, we conducted active wildlife surveillance in two states with known alt infestations (virginia and new jersey). in addition, we conducted environmental surveys in both states. these surveillance efforts resulted in detection o ... | 2020 | 32639639 |
| onrab® oral rabies vaccine is shed from, but does not persist in, captive mammals. | onrab® is a human adenovirus rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine developed to control rabies in wildlife. to support licensing and widespread use of the vaccine, safety studies are needed to assess its potential residual impact on wildlife populations. we examined the persistence of the onrab® vaccine virus in captive rabies vector and non-target mammals. this research complements work on important rabies vector species (raccoon, striped skunk, and red fox) but also adds to previous findings ... | 2019 | 31248686 |
| salmonella, campylobacter, clostridium difficile, and anti-microbial resistant escherichia coli in the faeces of sympatric meso-mammals in southern ontario, canada. | the role of free-ranging wildlife in the epidemiology of enteropathogens causing clinical illness in humans and domestic animals is unclear. salmonella enterica and anti-microbial resistant bacteria have been detected in the faeces of raccoons (procyon lotor), but little is known about the carriage of these bacteria in other sympatric meso-mammals. our objectives were to: (a) report the prevalence of salmonella and associated anti-microbial resistance, campylobacter spp, clostridium difficile, a ... | 2019 | 30985994 |
| potential effects of blood meal host on bacterial community composition in ixodes scapularis nymphs. | tick microbiomes may play an important role in pathogen transmission. however, the drivers of microbiome variation are poorly understood, and this limitation has impeded mechanistic understanding of the functions of microbial communities for pathogen acquisition. the goal of this research was to characterize the role of the blood meal host in structuring the microbiome of ixodes scapularis, the primary vector of lyme disease in the eastern united states, and to determine if ticks that fed from d ... | 2019 | 30660375 |
| trypanosoma cruzi transmission among captive nonhuman primates, wildlife, and vectors. | natural infection of captive nonhuman primates (nhps) with trypanosoma cruzi (agent of chagas disease) is an increasingly recognized problem in facilities across the southern usa, with negative consequences for nhp health and biomedical research. we explored a central texas nhp facility as a nidus of transmission by characterizing parasite discrete typing units (dtu) in seropositive rhesus macaques (macaca mulatta), identifying the wildlife reservoirs, and characterizing vector infection. in ser ... | 2018 | 29497880 |
| complete genome analysis confirms that the pygmy marmoset adenovirus is a variant of the skunk adenovirus 1 - short communication. | the complete genomic sequence along with phylogenetic analyses of an adenovirus (adv), isolated from a dead captive pygmy marmoset (callithrix pygmaea) from a hungarian zoo is reported. earlier, based on the phylogenetic analysis of the sequence of a pcr-amplified fragment from the dna polymerase gene, the pygmy marmoset adv (pmadv) has been reported to cluster closest to certain chiropteran advs. in the following years similar advs were discovered in additional mammalian hosts, including a skun ... | 2020 | 33128521 |
| cross-sectional evaluation of multiple epidemiological cycles of leptospira species in peri-urban wildlife in california. | to perform a cross-sectional survey to estimate prevalence of and potential risk factors for leptospira spp infection and exposure in peri-urban wildlife throughout california. | 2020 | 33021456 |
| american dog ticks (dermacentor variabilis) as biological indicators of an association between the enteric bacterium moellerella wisconsensis and striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) in southwestern manitoba, canada. | total genomic (g) dna from 100 american dog ticks (dermacentor variabilis) collected from humans, dogs, raccoons, and skunks near minnedosa (manitoba, canada) in 2005 was tested for the presence of moellerella wisconsensis (gammaproteobacteria: enterobacteriales) using pcr. although two gdna samples derived from ticks attached to two striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) contained m. wisconsensis dna, it is unlikely that d. variabilis is a vector of this bacterium. genomic dna prepared from the was ... | 2020 | 32402233 |
| raccoons (procyon lotor) and striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) as potential reservoirs of leptospira spp. in california. | leptospirosis is a globally important, fatal disease of humans, and over 160 species of animals are associated with more than 250 bacterial serovars in 64 species, but its ecology varies regionally and has changed over time with expansion of human development on previously agricultural and wild land. sporadic human cases and clusters of canine leptospirosis, primarily attributable to leptospira interrogans serogroup pomona, have been detected in northern california. small mesocarnivores such as ... | 2020 | 32017860 |
| raccoon rabies outbreak in hamilton, ontario: a progress report. | raccoon rabies is caused by a variant of the rabies virus found in raccoons but transmissible to other mammalian species, including humans. the disease of rabies caused by raccoon variant rabies virus is indistinguishable from rabies caused by other rabies virus variants. | 2018 | 31007622 |
| probable reverse zoonosis of influenza a(h1n1)pdm 09 in a striped skunk (mephitis mephitis). | striped skunks (skunks) are susceptible to respiratory infection by influenza a viruses (iav). as they are common synanthropes, maintenance of iav in skunks could provide a source of infection for humans. we previously studied the nasal turbinates, lungs and faeces of 50 free-ranging skunks for the presence of iav and identified two individuals with influenza a(h1n1)pdm09 infection during the 2009/2010 and 2013/2014 flu seasons. subsequent to publication of that study, ferrets were shown to pref ... | 2019 | 30552753 |
| isolation of rabies virus from the salivary glands of wild and domestic carnivores during a skunk rabies epizootic. | rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease of global importance. rabies virus is shed in the saliva of infected hosts and is primarily transmitted through bite contact. canine rabies has been eliminated from the us, but wildlife constitutes more than 90% of the reported cases of animal rabies in the us each year. in the us, several wild carnivore species are reservoirs of distinct variants of rabies virus (rv). after decades of apparent absence, the south-central skunk (scsk) rv variant was detected in ... | 2019 | 30226803 |
| genetic characteristics of canine distemper viruses circulating in wildlife in the united states. | canine distemper virus (cdv) is a highly contagious disease of wild and domestic mammals. maintenance of cdv among wildlife plays an important role in the disease epidemiology. wild animals, including raccoons (procyon lotor) and gray foxes (urocyon cinereoargenteus), serve as reservoirs of cdv and hamper the control of the disease. recently, we discovered that at least three different cdv lineages (america-3 [edomex], america-4, and america-5] that are genetically different from the available v ... | 2020 | 31926508 |
| characterization and comparison of slam/cd150 in free-ranging coyotes, raccoons, and skunks in illinois for elucidation of canine distemper virus disease. | canine distemper virus (cdv) is a cause of significant disease in canids and increasingly recognized as a multi-host pathogen, particularly of non-canid families within carnivora. cdv outbreaks in sympatric mesocarnivores are routinely diagnosed in the forest preserve district of cook county, illinois. cdv is diagnosed more commonly and the disease more severe in raccoons and striped skunks than in coyotes. research in other species suggests host cell receptors may play a role in variable diseas ... | 2020 | 32599844 |
| comparative ecology of bartonella and brucella infections in wild carnivores. | phylogenetic sister clades bartonella and brucella within the order rhizobiales present some common biological characteristics as well as evident differences in adaptations to their mammalian reservoirs. we reviewed published data on bartonella and brucella infections in wild carnivores to compare the ecology of these bacteria in relatively similar host environments. arthropod vectors are the main mechanism for bartonella species transmission between mammalian hosts. the role of arthropods in tr ... | 2018 | 30662899 |
| leptospira antibodies detected in wildlife in the usa and the us virgin islands. | from 2011 to 2017, 4,534 serum samples from 13 wildlife species collected across the us and in one territory (us virgin islands) were tested for exposure to leptospira serovars bratislava, canicola, grippotyphosa, hardjo, icterohaemorrhagiae, and pomona. of 1,759 canids, 1,043 cervids, 23 small indian mongooses ( herpestes auropunctatus), 1,704 raccoons ( procyon lotor), and five striped skunks ( mephitis mephitis), 27.0, 44.4, 30.4, 40.8, and 60%, respectively, were antibody positive for any of ... | 2018 | 29715063 |
| challenges to controlling rabies in skunk populations using oral rabies vaccination: a review. | controlling rabies in skunk populations is an important public health concern in many parts of the united states due to the potential for skunk rabies outbreaks in urban centres and the possible role for skunks in raccoon rabies variant circulation. oral rabies vaccination (orv) programmes have supported wildlife rabies control efforts globally but using orv to control rabies in skunk populations has proven more challenging than with other target species, like foxes, coyotes and raccoons. a revi ... | 2018 | 29633545 |
| carnivore protoparvovirus 1 at the wild-domestic carnivore interface in northwestern mexico. | eighty-three wild and domestic carnivores of nine species from janos biosphere reserve (jbr), mexico, were tested by serologic and molecular assays to determine exposure and infection rates of carnivore protoparvovirus 1. overall, 50.8% (33/65) of the wild carnivores and 100% (18/18) of the domestic dogs tested were seropositive for canine protoparvovirus 1 (cpv), while 23% (15/65) of the wild carnivores and 22.2% (4/18) of the domestic dogs were pcr positive for cpv. phylogenetic analysis confi ... | 2019 | 31375949 |
| volatile metabolomic signatures of rabies immunization in two mesocarnivore species. | rabies is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with rabies virus, which circulates naturally in several wild carnivore and bat reservoirs in the united states (us). the most important reservoir in the us from an animal and public health perspective is the raccoon (procyon lotor). to prevent the westward expansion of a significant raccoon rabies epizootic along the eastern seaboard, an operational control program implementing oral rabies vaccination (orv) has existed in the us since the 1990s. ... | 2019 | 31790413 |
| infection of eight mesocarnivores in new hampshire and vermont with a distinct clade of canine distemper virus in 2016-2017. | three fishers (martes pennanti), 2 gray foxes (urocyon cinereoargenteus), 1 mink (neovison vison), 1 skunk (mephitis mephitis), and 1 raccoon (procyon lotor), from vermont and new hampshire, had lesions on autopsy consistent with canine distemper virus (cdv) infections diagnosed in a 12-mo period in 2016-2017. lesions of cdv infection were most commonly noted in the lungs (8 of 8 animals), urothelium (5 of 8), biliary tract (5 of 8), gastrointestinal tract (4 of 7), and brain (4 of 6). splenic l ... | 2019 | 31023162 |
| geography but not alternative host species explain the spread of raccoon rabies virus in vermont. | in north america, the raccoon-associated variant of rabies virus (rrv) is of special concern, given its relatively rapid spread throughout the eastern usa and its potential public health impact due to high raccoon host densities in urban areas. northward expansion of this epizootic included an outbreak in the canadian province of quebec in 2006-2009 due to trans-border spread from the state of vermont. to inform a more proactive approach to future control efforts, this study uses phylogenetic an ... | 2018 | 29941066 |
| preference among 7 bait flavors delivered to domestic dogs in arizona: implications for oral rabies vaccination on the navajo nation. | less than 20% of the domestic dogs on tribal lands in the united states are vaccinated against rabies. one method to increase vaccination rates may be the distribution of oral rabies vaccines (orvs). onrab® (artemis technologies, inc., ontario, canada) is the primary orv used in canada to vaccinate striped skunks and raccoons. to investigate the potential use of onrab® orv baits to vaccinate feral domestic dogs against rabies on tribal lands and beyond, we performed a flavor preference study. a ... | 2020 | 32288687 |
| prevalence and intensity of the sinus roundworm ( skrjabingylus chitwoodorum) in rabies-negative skunks of texas, usa. | : estimates of the distribution and prevalence of the sinus roundworm ( skrjabingylus chitwoodorum) have been based largely on the inspection of skunk (mephitidae) skulls showing damage from infections. we examined 595 striped skunks ( mephitis mephitis) and nine hog-nosed skunks ( conepatus leuconotus) that had tested negative for rabies by the texas department of state health services (us) between november 2010 and april 2015 to determine species of skrjabingylus, prevalence and intensity of ... | 2018 | 29077543 |
| immunogenicity of ontario rabies vaccine for small indian mongooses (herpestes auropunctatus). | oral rabies vaccination is the principal strategy used to control rabies in wildlife. no oral rabies vaccine is licensed for small indian mongooses (herpestes auropunctatus). the ontario rabies vaccine bait (onrab) is a human adenovirus type-5 rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine licensed for rabies control in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) in canada and is under experimental evaluation in the us. we evaluated varying doses of onrab vaccine by direct instillation into the oral cavity with ... | 2020 | 31567036 |
| endemic skunk amdoparvovirus in free-ranging striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) in california. | the genus amdoparvovirus includes the newly discovered skunk amdoparvovirus and the well-characterized aleutian disease virus which causes significant health impacts in farmed mink worldwide. in 2010-2013, an outbreak of fatal amdoparvovirus-associated disease was documented in free-ranging striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from the san francisco bay area of california. to characterize the geographic distribution, earliest occurrence and abundance of this virus, as well as possible impacts on s ... | 2019 | 31206251 |
| animal derived thiol induced work exacerbated asthma: a brief case report of a unique workplace hazard. | a 33 year old female healthcare worker with a history of cough variant asthma presented with 2 weeks of dyspnea and cough that she believed to be due to recurring exposure to skunk spray in her work environment. the employee was working in a temporary structure outside the primary hospital campus. during the preceding 2 weeks, at least one striped skunk was observed multiple times by staff members to be crawling under the structure. the employee's symptoms were not initially considered serious b ... | 2019 | 30623404 |
| peridomestic mammal susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. | wild animals have been implicated as the origin of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2), but it is largely unknown how the virus affects most wildlife species and if wildlife could ultimately serve as a reservoir for maintaining the virus outside the human population. we show that several common peridomestic species, including deer mice, bushy-tailed woodrats, and striped skunks, are susceptible to infection and can shed the virus in respiratory secretions. in contrast, w ... | 2021 | 34286685 |
| powassan virus experimental infections in three wild mammal species. | powassan virus (powv) is a tick-borne virus maintained in sylvatic cycles between mammalian wildlife hosts and ticks (primarily ixodes spp.). there are two currently recognized lineages, powv-lineage 1 (powv-l1) and deer tick virus (dtv; lineage 2), both of which can cause fatal neurologic disease in humans. increased numbers of human case reports in the northeastern and north central united states in recent years have fueled questions into powv epidemiology. we inoculated three candidate wildli ... | 2021 | 33534764 |
| drivers of canine distemper virus exposure in dogs at a wildlife interface in janos, mexico. | human population expansion has increased the contact between domestic animals and wildlife, thereby increasing the transmission of infectious diseases including canine distemper virus (cdv). here, we investigated the risk factors associated with cdv exposure in domestic and wild carnivores from the janos biosphere reserve (jbr), mexico. | 2021 | 33981441 |