Digital Commons Network^™

Prp Genotypes And Experimental Scrapie In Orally Inoculated Suffolk Sheep In The United States, Katherine I. O'Rourke, G. R. Holyoak, W. W. Clark, J. R. Mickelson, S. Wang, R. P. Melco, T. E. Besser, W. C. Foote

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

One-hundred and three United States Suffolk sheep were inoculated orally with a scrapie agent preparation and monitored for clinical disease and histopathological lesions characteristic of scrapie. A retrospective study of the polymorphisms at codon 171 of the prion protein (PrP) gene was performed on these sheep. All 63 sheep that developed scrapie during the observation period were homozygous for the glutamine 171 (171-QQ) PrP allele. Twelve 171-QQ sheep failed to develop disease. All 5 sheep homozygous for arginine (171-RR) and all 23 heterozygous (171-QR) sheep remained free of scrapie.

Spongiform Encephalopathy In Free-Ranging Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus), White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) And Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsoni) In Northcentral Colorado, T. R. Spraker, M. W. Miller, E. S. Williams, D. M. Getzy, W. J. Adrian, G. G. Schoonveid, R. A. Spowart, Katherine I. O'Rourke, J. M. Miller, P. A. Merz

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Between March 1981 and June 1995, a neurological disease characterized histologically by spongiform encephalopathy was diagnosed in 49 free-ranging cervids from northcentral Colorado (USA). Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were the primary species affected and accounted for 41(84%) of the 49 cases, but six Rocky Mountain elk (Cereus elaphus nelsoni) and two white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were also affected. Clinical signs included emaciation, excessive salivation, behavioral changes, ataxia, and weakness. Emaciation with total loss of subcutaneous and abdominal adipose tissue and serous atrophy of remaining fat depots were the only consistent gross findings. Spongiform encephalopathy …

Bovine Tuberculosis In Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer From Michigan, Stephen M. Schmitt, Scott D. Fitzgerald, Thomas M. Cooley, Colleen S. Bruning-Fann, Larry Sullivan, Dale Berry, Thomas Carlson, Richard B. Minnis, Janet B. Payeur, James Sikarskie

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

A 4.5 yr-old male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) killed by a hunter during the 1994 firearm hunting season in northeastern Michigan (USA) had lesions suggestive of tuberculosis and was positive on culture for Mycobacterium bovis the causative agent for bovine tuberculosis. Subsequently, a survey of 354 hunter-harvested white-tailed deer for tuberculosis was conducted in this area from 15 November 1995 through 5 January 1996. Heads and/or lungs from deer were examined grossly and microscopically for lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis. Gross lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were seen in 15 deer. Tissues from 16 deer had acid-fast bacilli on …

Phosphorylation Within The Amino-Terminal Acidic Domain I Of The Phosphoprotein Of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Is Required For Transcription But Not For Replication, Asit K. Pattnaik, Leroy Hwang, Tong Le, Nathan Englund, Manjula Mathur, Tapas Das, Amiya Banerjee

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Phosphorylation by casein kinase II at three specific residues (S-60, T-62, and S-64) within the acidic domain I of the P protein of Indiana serotype vesicular stomatitis virus has been shown to be critical for in vitro transcription activity of the viral RNA polymerase (P-L) complex. To examine the role of phosphorylation of P protein in transcription as well as replication in vivo, we used a panel of mutant P proteins in which the phosphate acceptor sites in domain I were substituted with alanines or other amino acids. Analyses of the alanine-substituted mutant P proteins for the ability to support …

Current Issues In Rabies Prevention In The United States: Health Dilemmas, Public Coffers, Private Interests, Charles E. Rupprecht, Jean S. Smith, John Krebs, Michael Niezgoda, James E. Childs

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Over the last 100 years, rabies in the United States has changed dramati~ally. More than 90% of all animal rabies cases reported annually to the CDC now occur in wildlife, whereas before 1960 the majority were in domestic animals. The principal rabies hosts today are wild carnivores and bats infected with several viral variants. Annual human deaths have fallen from more than a hundred at the turn of the century to one to two per year despite major outbreaks of animal rabies in several geographic areas. Modem day prophylaxis has proven nearly 100% successful; most human fatalities now occur in …

Prevalence Of Antibodies To Feline Parvovirus, Calicivirus, Herpesvirus, Coronavirus, And Immunodeficiency Virus And Of Feline Leukemia Virus Antigen And The Interrelationship Of These Viral Infections In Free-Ranging Lions In East Africa, Regina Hofmann-Lehmann, Daniela Fehr, Markus Grob, Muhamed Elgizoli, Craig Packer, Janice S. Martenson, Stephen J. O'Brien, Hans Lutz

Biology Faculty Articles

While viral infections and their impact are well studied in domestic cats, only limited information is available on their occurrence in free-ranging lions. The goals of the present study were (i) to investigate the prevalence of antibodies to feline calicivirus (FCV), herpesvirus (FHV), coronavirus (FCoV), parvovirus (FPV), and immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen in 311 serum samples collected between 1984 and 1991 from lions inhabiting Tanzania’s national parks and (ii) to evaluate the possible biological importance and the interrelationship of these viral infections. Antibodies to FCV, never reported previously in free-ranging lions, were detected in …

Biochemical And Mutational Analysis Of The Histidine Residues Of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A., M Hoffman, M Tremaine, J Mansfield, M Betley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The goal of this study was to examine the role of histidine residues in the biological activities of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). Carboxymethylated SEA was unable to stimulate murine T-cell proliferation but was resistant to monkey stomach lavage fluid degradation, suggesting that native conformation was intact. Site-directed mutagenesis of the histidine residues of SEA was subsequently performed. SEA-H44A (SEA with histidine 44 replaced with alanine), SEA-H44D, SEA-H50A, SEA-H50D, SEA-H114A, SEA-H114D, SEA-H187A, and SEA-H187D retained superantigen and emetic activities, whereas SEA-H225A and SEA-H225D were defective in the ability to stimulate T-cell proliferation. These mutants were unable to compete with SEA for …

Virulent Footrot : Mild Or Severe?, Laurie Depiazzi

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The footrot eradication scheme in Western Australia has resulted in a low prevalence of severe footrot.

To appreciate the achievement, we need to understand what exactly is being eradicated. 'S' strains of Dichelorbacter nodosus, the infectious bacterium of footrot, are the target of footrot eradication. Laurie Depiazzi examines the basis for eradicating 'S' strains.

Bovine Cell Line Resistant To In Vtro Infection By Bovine Viral Darrheavirus And All Other Known Pestiviruses, Ruben O. Donis, Eduardo F. Flores

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Bovine cell line resistant to infection by the pestiviruses Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), Hog Cholera Virus (HCV) and Border Disease Virus (BDV) and all progeny and mutants thereof. A bovine cell line (CRIB) that is resistant to infection by cytopathic and non-cytopathic BVDV and by other Pestiviruses due to a stable, recessive genetic defect which blocks infection at the level of viral entry.

Microevolutionary Patterns And Molecular Markers: The Genetics Of Geographic Variation In Ascaris Suum, Steven A. Nadler

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Molecular markers have been used only rarely to characterize the population genetic structure of nematodes. Published studies have suggested that different taxa may show distinct genetic architectures. Isoenzyme and RAPD markers have been used to investigate geographic variation of Ascaris suum at the level of infrapopulations (nematodes within individual hosts), within localities, and among geographic regions. Independent estimates of genetic differentiation among population samples based on isoenzyme and RAPD data showed similar patterns and substantial correlation. Heterozygote deficiencies within infrapopulations and large values for inbreeding coefficients among infrapopulations suggested that the composition of these populations was not consistent with a …

Phage Infection, Transfection And Transformation Of Mycobacterium Avium Complex And Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis, Ellen M. Foley-Thomas, Diane L. Whipple, Luiz M. Bermudez, Raul G. Barletta

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium avium complex strains and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis are closely related intracellular pathogens affecting humans and animals. M. avium complex infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in AIDS patients, and M. paratuberculosis is the agent of Johne's disease in ruminants. Genetic manipulation of these micro-organisms would facilitate the understanding of their pathogenesis, the construction of attenuated vaccine strains and the development of new drugs and treatment methods. This paper describes the replication of mycobacterial shuttle phasmids and plasmids, and the expression of the firefly luciferase reporter gene in M. avium complex and M. paratuberculosis. The mycobacteriophage TM4 …

EnterohemorrhagicEscherichia Coli O157:H7 Requires Intimin To Colonize The Gnotobiotic Pig Intestine And To Adhere To Hep-2 Cells, Marian L. Mckee, Angela R. Melton-Celsa, Rodney A. Moxley, David H. Francis, Alison D. O'Brien

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In a previous study, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 with a deletion and insertion in the eaeA gene encoding intimin was used to establish that intimin is required for the organism to attach to and efface microvilli in the piglet intestine (M. S. Donnenberg, S. Tzipori, M. L. McKee, A. D. O’Brien, J. Alroy, and J. B. Kaper, J. Clin. Invest. 92:1418–1424, 1993). However, in the same investigation, a role for intimin in EHEC adherence to HEp-2 cells could not be definitively demonstrated. To analyze the basis for this discrepancy, we constructed an in-frame deletion of eaeA and compared the …

Heterozygosity Mapping Of Partially Congenic Lines: Mapping Of A Semidominant Neurological Mutation, Wheels ( Whl), On Mouse Chromosome 4, Patrick M. Nolan, Patricia J. Sollars, Barbara A. Bohne, Warren J. Ewens, Gary E. Pickard, Maja Bucan

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

We identified a semidominant, chemically induced, mouse use mutation with a complex array of abnormal behaviors including bidirectional circling and hyperactivity, abnormal circadian rhythmicity and abnormal responses to light. In this report, we genetically and phenotypically characterized the circling/ waltzing component of the abnormal behavior. We mapped the locus controlling this trait by heterozygosity mapping of partially congenic lines carrying the mutagenized chromosome outcrossed to different inbred strains for three generations. Analysis of 68 PCR-based markers in 13 affected individuals indicated that the mutant locus, named Wheels (Whl), resides in the subcentromeric portion of mouse chromosome 4. The …

Restoration Of Circadian Behavior By Anterior Hypothalamic Heterografts, Patricia J. Sollars, Daniel P. Kimble, Gary E. Pickard

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus (AH) is a circadian oscillator and an important component of the mammalian circadian system. To determine whether the SCN is the dominant circadian pacemaker responsible for generating a species-typical characteristic of circadian rhythms [i.e., period length (T)], neural transplantation was conducted using fetal AH donors of different species and SCN-lesioned (SCNx) hosts. The circadian behavior of each of the three donor species is clearly distinguishable by its species-typical T. The extent of SCN pacemaker autonomy was assessed by noting whether the period of the restored circadian rhythm following heterograft transplantation was characteristic …

Infections Associated With Bartonella Species In Persons Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Russell L. Regnery, James E. Childs, Jane E. Koehler

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Two members of the genus Bartonella, Bartonella quintana (formerly Rochalimaea quintana) and Bartonella henselae (formerly Rochalimaea henselae), have recently been recognized as agents of severe or fatal disease in patients infected with human immunodeficiencyv irus (HIV). The development of infection with B. henselae in HIV-infected individuals has been associated with traumatic contact with cats (scratches or bites), and domestic cats have been identified as a major reservoir for this organism. Specific information regarding the transmission of B. henselae to humans is not yet available, but common-sense precautions that minimize exposure to cat-associated organisms are appropriate. Preliminary accounts suggest that …

Rabies--Epidemiology, Prevention, And Future Research, John W. Krebs, Mark L. Wilson, James E. Childs

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Rabies is caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus, maintained in nature by a variety of animal reservoirs. Rabies virus infects the central nervous system, resulting in progressive encephalopathy and ultimately death in an infected human. Globally, the risk of contracting rabies for humans is greatest in regions of the developing world where dog rabies is enzootic. Where rabies in dogs has been eliminated or otherwise controlled through vaccination programs, the disease can be maintained by wildlife. Wildlife primarily involved in maintenance of transmission cycles are carnivores and bats. Persons having frequent contact with wildlife, such as mammalogists, are at …

Rodent-Borne Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses: A Special Risk For Mammalogists?, James E. Childs, James N. Mills, Gregory E. Glass

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

We review two groups of taxonomically unrelated viruses that share similarities in host preference and transmission routes to humans and pose a risk for mammalogists working with rodents. The rodent-borne hemorrhagic fever viruses in the Arenaviridae and Bunyaviridae are widely distributed on most continents where rodents occur. Their geographic distribution usually exceeds the distribution of the recognized human diseases they cause and has resulted from either natural coevolutionary events or the dissemination of viral passengers traveling with introduced mammalian hosts. Diseases of humans caused by these agents are among the most severe and most frequently fatal of zoonotic diseases. These …

A Case-Control Study Of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome During An Outbreak In The Southwestern United States, Paul S. Zeitz, Jay C. Butler, James E. Cheek, Michael C. Samuel, James E. Childs, Lee A. Shands, Richard E. Turner, Ronald E. Voorhees, John Sarisky, Pierre E. Rollin, Thomas G. Ksiazek, Louisa Chapman, Susan E. Reef, Kenneth K. Komatsu, Craig Dalton, John W. W. Krebs, Gary O. Maupin, Kenneth Gage, C. Mack Sewell, Robert F. Breiman, C. J. Peters

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

In May 1993, an outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome( HPS) occurred in the south-western United States. A case-control study determined risk factors for HPS. Seventeen case-patients were compared with 3 groups of controls: members of case-patient households( household controls), members of neighboring households( near controls), and members of randomly selected households ≥ 24 km away ( far controls). Investigators trapped more small rodents at case households than at near ( P = .03) or far control households( P = .02). After the number of small rodents was controlled for,case-patients were more likely than household controls to hand plow (odds ratio …

Guidelines For Working With Rodents Potentially Infected With Hantavirus, James N. Mills, Terry L. Yates, James E. Childs, Robert R. Parmenter, Thomas G. Ksiazek, Pierre E. Rollin, C.J. Peters

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Because of the high morbidity and mortality associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and the possibility of aerosol transmission of hantaviruses, persons handling known reservoir species in the field, laboratory, or classroom should take special precautions to minimize the risk of infection. We provide specific guidelines for personal safety while trapping, handling and releasing, transporting, sampling, and performing necropsy on potentially infected rodents or teaching field classes in areas occupied by reservoir species. Special consideration should be given to respiratory protection, choice and use of disinfectants, decontamination of instruments and traps, proper disposal of infectious wastes, and preservation and shipment of …

Certain Canine Weakly Β-Hemolytic Intestinal Spirochetes Are Phenotypically And Genotypically Related To Spirochetes Associated With Human And Porcine Intestinal Spirochetosis, Gerald E. Duhamel, Nagaraja Muniappa, Michelle R. Mathiesen, J. L. Johnson, J. Toth, R. O. Elder, A. R. Doster

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Four canine weakly β-hemolytic intestinal spirochetes associated with intestinal spirochetosis (IS-associated WBHIS) were compared with IS-associated human and porcine WBHIS and the type species for Serpulina hyodysenteriae and S. innocens by using phenotypic and genotypic parameters. The IS-associated canine, human, and porcine WBHIS belonged to a phyletic group distinct from but related to previously described Serpulina type species.

An Abattoir Study Of Tuberculosis In A Herd Of Farmed Elk, Terry L. Whiting, Stacy V. Tessaro

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and distribution of grossly visible lesions of tuberculosis in a herd of 344 North American elk (Cervus elaphus) depopulated during a three-month period in 1991. Abattoir inspection detected mycobacterial lesions in 134 (39.8%) of the 337 animals received for slaughter. The prevalence of lesions increased with the age of the animals. Lesions were predominantly suppurative rather than caseous, and mineralization was less evident than in tuberculous lesions in cattle. Lesions occurred predominantly -in lymph nodes, and lungs were the only organs in which mycobacterial lesions were found. The …

Quality Wool Production At Lower Cost, Peter Metcalfe

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Low wool prices are forcing farmers to reduce their sheep management costs but, fortunately, cost cutting is not resulting in lower wool production, poorer wool quality or lessened sheep care on the best wool growing properties.

Serologic And Genetic Identification Of Peromyscus Maniculatus As The Primary Rodent Reservoir For A New Hantavirus In The Southwestern United States, James E. Childs, Thomas G. Ksiazek, Christina F. Spiropoulou, John W. Krebs, Sergey Morzunov, Gary O. Maupin, Kenneth L. Gage, Pierre E. Rollin, John Sarisky, Russell E. Enscore, Jennifer K. Frey, C. J. Peters, Stuart T. Nichol

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome(H PS) in the southwestern United States was etiologically linked to a newly recognized hantavirus. Knowledge that hantaviruses are maintained in rodent reservoirs stimulated a field and laboratory investigation of 1696 small mammals of 31 species. The most commonly captured rodent, the deer mouse( Peromyscus maniculatus), had the highest antibody prevalence(3 %)to four hantavirus antigens. Antibody also was detected in 10 other species of rodent and in 1 species of rabbit. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction( RT-PCR)products of hantavirus from rodent tissues were indistinguishable from those from human H PS patients. More than 96% of …

White-Tailed Deer As A Potential Reseroir Of Ehrlichia Spp., Jacqueline E. Dawson, James E. Childs, Kristine L. Biggie, Charla Moore, David Stalknecht, John Shaddock, John Bouseman, Erik Hofmeister, James G. Olson

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

We determined the antibody prevalence to Ehrlichia spp., in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and the geographic distribution of seropositive animals in 84 counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia (USA). Using an indirect fluorescent antibody test we detected antibodies (≥ 1:128) to this bacterium in 544 (43%) of 1269 deer. Presence of antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. was related to a southerly latitude, low elevation, and resulting milder climatic conditions. It appears that whitetailed deer were naturally infected with Ehrlichia spp.; the infection …

Expression Of Functional Protease And Subviral Particles By Vaccinia Virus Containing Equine Infectious Anaemia Virus Gag And 5' Pol Genes, Travis C. Mcguire, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Timothy V. Baszler, Steven R. Leib, Alberta L. Brassfield, William C. Davis

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Cells infected with vaccinia viruses expressing the equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) gag gene (VGag) or gag plus the 5' pol encoding protease (VGag/PR) were evaluated with monoclonal antibody to a p26 capsid protein linear epitope (QEISKFLTD). Both recombinant viruses expressed Gag precursor protein (55K) whereas only VGag/PR expressed a detectable Gag-Pol fusion protein (82K) with a functional protease, shown by subviral particles containing processed p26. Horses inoculated with VGag/PR produced antibodies reactive with EIAV Gag proteins.

Scid Mouse Spleen Does Not Support Scrapie Agent Replication, Katherine I. O'Rourke, T. P. Huff, C. W. Leathers, M. M. Robinson, J. R. Gorham

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

BALB/c and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice were inoculated intracerebrally or intraperitoneally with scrapie agent strain ME7 to examine the role of functional lymphocytes and follicular dendritic cells in splenic infectivity and PrP^sc accumulation. Intracerebrally inoculated BALB/c and SCID mice developed the clinical signs and microscopic lesions characteristic of scrapie. Spleens from terminally affected BALB/c mice contained PrP^sc which was detectable by immunoblot analysis; SCID mouse spleens did not contain detectable PrP so. SCID mouse spleens collected during the first 90 days after intraperitoneal infection contained neither infectivity nor PrP^sc.

Major Histocompatibility Complex-Restricted Cd8+ Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes From Horses With Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Recognize Env And Gag/Pr Proteins, Travis C. Mcguire, Daniel B. Tumas, Katherine M. Byrne, Melissa T. Hines, Steven R. Leib, Alberta L. Brassfield, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Lance E. Perryman

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can control some viral infections and may be important in the control of lentiviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Since there is limited evidence for an in vivo role of CTL in control of lentiviruses, dissection of immune mechanisms in animal lentiviral infections may provide needed information. Horses infected with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), a lentivirus, have acute plasma viremia which is terminated in immunocompetent horses. Viremic episodes may recur, but most horses ultimately control infection and become asymptomatic carriers. To begin dissection of the immune mechanisms involved in EIAV control, peripheral blood mononuclear …

Status Of Bovine Tuberculosis In North America, M. A. Essey, M. A. Koller

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

The eradication of bovine tuberculosis from North America is in the advanced stages as Canada and the United States struggle to remove the last vestiges of the disease from the domestic livestock population. Canada realistically anticipates total eradication from the national cattle herd within the next few years. The United States must yet effectively deal with the increased tuberculosis exposure potential from imported steers and from bovine tuberculosis newly discovered in its captive cervid industry. This paper reviews the history and development of tuberculosis eradication programs in North America. The basic evolution is described from area testing to slaughter surveillance …

Miscellaneous Publication No 33/93 - Virulent Footrot A Farmer's Guide To Eradication, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock published reports

The first thing to understand about virulent footrot is that it can occur on any farm in the medium to high rainfall zone. Persons who regularly buy and sell sheep have a greater risk, but even closed breeding flock properties are at risk from stray sheep.

People often associate footrot with properties managed by inefficient farmers. This is a false belief. Many good farmers have found the disease in their sheep, including high profile studs.

Footrot can strike anywhere and often without warning.

The important thing to remember is that once it is found, getting to know and understand the …

The Role Of A Wildlife Reservoir In The Epidemiology Of Bovine Tuberculosis, D. U. Pfeiffer

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

The objective of this project was to study the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in the presence of a wildlife reservoir species. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of possum populations with endemic bovine tuberculosis infection were analyzed. The results were used to develop a computer simulation model of the dynamics of bovine tuberculosis infection in possum populations. A case-control study of breakdowns to tuberculosis infection in cattle herds in the Central North Island of New Zealand was conducted to identify risk factors other than exposure to tuberculosis in local possum populations.