biopsy method so it can be used as a tool for 

 detecting CWD in cervids that have been infected 

 but have not yet begun to show signs of disease. 

 The technique is currently being used in pen 

 studies to determine time to infection relative to 

 transmission route. 



CWD Blood Bank — Researchers from several 

 Federal and State agencies and universities are 

 developing diagnostic tests and other techniques to 

 determine whether animals are infected with CWD 

 or other transmissible spongiform encephalopathy 

 (TSE) diseases. One limitation to the development 

 of these methods is access to positive samples for 

 evaluating the tests. To address this need, NWRC 

 has initiated a CWD blood bank to store blood 

 and other tissues that can be made available for 

 research. As of October 2007, blood and tissue 

 samples have been collected and stored from 7 and 

 56 CWD-positive deer, respectively. 



TITLE: Surveillance, Monitoring, Research and 

 Response for Wildlife Diseases 



GOAL: Understand the role wildlife play as hosts 

 and reservoirs for zoonotic diseases (e.g., 

 Al, plague, West Nile virus) and diseases 

 of agricultural importance (e.g., Al, 

 salmonellosis). 



Considerable concern exists around the world about 

 emerging infectious diseases. Of these emerging 

 diseases, 75 percent are zoonotic. Some zoonotic 

 diseases carried by wildlife also can be transmitted 

 to economically important domestic animals, such 

 as West Nile virus to horses and Al to poultry. 

 Thus, wildlife populations often play a key role in 

 the transmission of diseases that directly impact 

 humans and agnculture. NWRC is actively involved 

 in the monitoring and surveillance of and research 

 on many of these diseases. 



National Early Detection System for HPAI (H5N1 

 Subtype) in Wild Migratory Birds — The occurrence 

 of HPAI subtype H5N1 continues to cause 

 considerable concern regarding the potential impact 



NWRC technicians process tinousands of samples as part of the 

 national Al surveillance project. 



on wild birds, domestic poultry, and human health 

 should it be introduced into the United States. One 

 potential route for introduction of the virus into the 

 country is migration of infected wild birds. As part 

 of the U.S. Interagency Strategic Early Detection 

 System for Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza 

 in Wild Migratory Birds, NWRC continues to be 

 responsible for developing field sampling methods, 

 directing collection of field fecal samples, and 

 analyzing environmental (water and avian fecal) 

 samples in the United States. As part of this 

 strategy, NWRC convened a committee to design a 

 nationwide monitoring program for environmental 

 samples, provided initial guidance for sampling, 

 developed a field collection system, developed 

 assays for both water and fecal samples, and 

 performed diagnostics analysis of the initial samples 

 collected in Alaska. 



In 2006, NWRC staff analyzed 50,184 avian fecal 

 samples from all 50 States and the Pacific Islands 

 and detected low-pathogenic Al in 4.0 percent of 

 the sample pools; 0.2 percent of the sample pools 

 were positive for H5 and H7 subtypes. However, no 

 HPAI H5N1 was detected. 



In 2007, NWRC staff continued to assist the 

 national surveillance program by analyzing an 

 additional 25,000 avian fecal samples that were 

 collected using a more targeted approach based on 

 the sampling conducted in 2006. 



Developing Methods 23 



