Recipient Organization
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
200 WESTBORO ROAD
N. GRAFTON,MA 01536
Performing Department
Infectious Disease and Global Health
Non Technical Summary
There is an urgent need in the northeastern United States for a regional consortium to conduct health assessments as well as disease surveillance and diagnostics in wildlife. The Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative (NEWDC) is a new collaborative diagnostic and research project bringing together the expertise of veterinarians, scientists, and wildlife managers throughout the Northeastern United States. The NEWDC provides wildlife diagnostics to its participating organizations, including state and federal agencies. Through the cooperative structure of the NEWDC, multiple institutions contribute their respective skills and knowledge, and individual states pool their resources to fund a cost-effective and efficient means of detecting, diagnosing and addressing wildlife disease events. The NEWDC does not replicate or replace federal or state wildlife diagnostic efforts already in place, but instead complements them by bringing together regional stakeholders for the protection of wildlife as well as domestic animals and humans, as the health of all species is inextricably linked. The NEWDC's goal is to enhance regional capabilities for wildlife health assessment, disease detection, management, prevention, and research in the Northeast thereby protecting both wildlife and human populations.
Animal Health Component
80%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
80%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
There is an urgent need in the northeastern United States for a regional consortium to conduct health assessments as well as disease surveillance and diagnostics in wildlife. The Northeast is a hotspot for emerging infectious diseases that affect both animals and humans because of its dense human populations and the presence of major ports like Boston and New York, where both human and animal travelers pour into the country. West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease were detected here before anywhere else in the country. Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Tularemia persist in wildlife here, claiming both animal and human lives. In the case of West Nile Virus, a veterinary pathologist at the Bronx Zoo was the first to take a closer look at the hundreds of dead crows mysteriously dropping from the sky in New York City during the summer of 1999. She was compelled to determine the cause of this incident, feeling that something was seriously wrong. Indeed, by November 1999, the West Nile epidemic in New York City had resulted in 7 human deaths and the deaths of hundreds of native wild birds, exotic birds in the zoo, and numerous domestic horses. By 2003, the virus had spread to 46 states and caused illness in over 9,800 people. West Nile was detected and identified largely because of the efforts of one persistent, committed individual. If there had been a formal wildlife disease surveillance system in the Northeast at the time, the virus could have been detected earlier, and consequently, may not have spread as swiftly or as widely. In spite of our vulnerability and recent history of significant infectious diseases, the Northeast does not have a designated wildlife disease laboratory capable of investigating potential disease outbreaks, nor for conducting surveillance to anticipate the emergence of new diseases before they become widespread. State wildlife biologists lament the lack of a regional laboratory or coordinated response system for wildlife disease investigation, and have expressed frustration at the disjointed patchwork of veterinary services on which they currently rely. Further, there is an urgent need for improved communications among states and between federal agencies regarding outbreaks and mortality events. To address these gaps, we propose to establish the Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative (NEWDC). NEWDC will comprise state governments, local people, and the private and public (i.e.- non-profit) sectors who, in collaboration, investigate disease and manage the health of wildlife populations in the region. Surveillance and diagnostics will be conducted by veterinarians and veterinary pathologists at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (TCSVM), New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, and the Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University. TCSVM will be the administrative lead. Our overarching goal is to enhance regional capabilities for wildlife health assessment, disease detection, management, prevention, and research in the Northeast thereby protecting both wildlife and human populations.
Project Methods
The specific deliverables are: (1) Establishment of a website for the NEWDC. The website would contain information on the services provided by NEWDC, contact information for staff and personnel, as well as a "Tool Kit" for members that includes a standardized submission form and instructions for sample preparation and shipping. (2) Creation of a listserv or a blog that would be a reporting system for outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases and toxins in Northeast wildlife. The staff of the NEWDC would post updates to be sent to all subscribers. This system would facilitate inter-state communication regarding disease issues and would serve as an early warning system enabling states to initiate surveillance efforts in anticipation of disease spread. (3) Development of contracts between NEWDC and participating states for diagnostic services. Work with interested states to create contract agreements for services provided. (4) Conduct training workshops on how to conduct a field investigation of wildlife mortality: required equipment, biosafety, sample collection, photo and video documentation, necropsy skills, and how to recognize disease in the field. Participants will also be provided with lecture information to take home with them, including manuals on general avian and mammal necropsy procedures, disease control operations, and regional disease fact sheets. (5) Conduct limited diagnostics for paying states. (6) Create a standardized submission form that will be used by all institutions. (7) Develop a centralized database into which all case reports will be entered. This database would also create a standardized output so that reports to clients from NEWDC would be standardized rather than appearing in the various formats used by participating laboratories. (8) Establishment of a Steering Committee and Advisory Board comprised of key contacts from participating states and diagnostic laboratories. (9) Conduct a rigorous funding campaign to provide additional operating support for NEWDC.