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Rodenticide Restrictions: The Precautionary Principle In Action, Thomas Schmit

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed mitigation measures (published 1/17/07, Federal Register), we can see the precautionary principle in action: "When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically" (Ashford 1998). EPA's proposed measures would classify all second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides as "restricted use," so that they cannot be sold to the general public. This proposed restriction will diminish the ability of consumers to control rodents in their own residence, and will disproportionately affect minority and low-income citizens in the …

Overview Of The First Use Of Gps 1991/Gis 1992 During A Wyoming Skunk Rabies Epizootic, Craig A. Ramey, Kenneth H. Mills, Marshall Robin

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are one of the most important reservoirs of wildlife rabies on the Great Plains of North America. During a skunk rabies epizootic in a previously rabies-free area of northwestern Wyoming, we studied the spread of rabies from the index case occurring in 1988 until the Shoshone River epizootic ended in 1993. All specimens were sent to the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory for Fluorescent Antibody Testing for rabies. The goal of federal, state, county, and local agencies was to address the public's fear about the health and safety of humans and animals. Following several rabid …

Avian Influenza In Wild Birds: Environmental Sampling For The Rapid Detection Of Avian Influenza Viruses, Robert G. Mclean, Jeffrey S. Hall, Alan B. Franklin, Heather Sullivan, Kaci Vandalen, Susan Shriner, Matthew Farnsworth, Paul Oesterle, Ginger Young, Jenny Carlson, Kacy Cobble, Stacey Elmore, Ted Anderson, Sean Hauser, Kevin Bentler, Nicole Mooers, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Tom Deliberto, Seth Swafford

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

All subtypes of influenza Type A viruses infect wild birds, especially waterfowl and shorebirds, but rarely cause disease or mortality in these aquatic species. Aquatic birds are the natural reservoirs for low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAI) that are distributed globally. However, some AI subtypes can be virulent in other animals and humans and some highly pathogenic AI viruses (HPAI) have caused major outbreaks in poultry and even pandemics in the human population. The emergence of a HPAl H5N1 subtype in southeast Asian poultry in 1997 subsequently involved migratory waterfowl in 2005 and has since spread westward throughout the Asian, …

Missouri's Feral Hog Task Force: Addressing Increasing Feral Swine Populations, R. Edwin Hartin, Thomas A. Hutton

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Feral hog (Sus scrofa) populations are expanding in size and distribution in Missouri and other parts of the United States. Increases of this invasive species are a serious concern because of the damage they cause and diseases they carry. Affected stakeholders in Missouri formed a task force in 1998 with sixteen member agencies and organizations to develop a program for the control/eradication of feral hogs in the state. The task force identified three objectives with appropriate supporting strategies to help achieve the ultimate goal: protection of Missouri 's public health, agricultural economy, and natural resources through eradication of …

Impacts Of Wildlife Diseases In Urban Environments, Mike R. Dunbar, Ray T. Sterner, Shylo R. Johnson

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Approximately 60% of diseases causing pathogenic illness in humans originate in animals. Emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases pose considerable public health, environmental, and economic impacts in the U.S. There are over 250 urban areas in the U.S. with populations > 100,000. These densely populated centers, with concomitant development of natural areas, greenbelts, and walking trails, are viewed to exacerbate the potential for human-wildlife, pet-wildlife, and pet-human interactions leading to greater risks of zoonotic disease transmission. Wildlife rabies, West Nile virus (WNV), and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) offer illustrations of potential impacts from zoo noses in urban areas. Prevention of …

Management Strategies For Addressing Wildlife Disease Transmission: The Case For Fertility Control, Gary Killian, Kathleen Fagerstone, Terry Kreeger, Lowell Miller, Jack Rhyan

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Transmissible diseases among wildlife species, and between wildlife and domestic livestock, are a matter of increasing concern. A combination of approaches should be considered for controlling disease transmission. If a vaccine is available or can economically be developed for the disease, it should be used as the primary component of the disease management strategy. For example, development of an oral rabies vaccine has led to programs where baits are dispersed on a large scale in a barrier zone to prevent the spread of rabies. However, there are no vaccines available for many diseases and incentives are frequently not present for …

A General Equilibrium Analysis Of Pesticide Resistance, Kenneth S. Lyon

Economic Research Institute Study Papers

Pesticides have value because they help farmers control pests that destroy crops and decrease yields; however, their use will lead to insecticide resistance. In addition, their use has unintended other effects. These stem in part from pesticide residues on food and application drift that exposes humans and other non-target biologic populations to toxic agents. We analyze these interactions in a stochastic general equilibrium optimal control model. The necessary conditions of an optimal path are examined to identify the roles that Integrated Pest Management, spraying and pest resistant crops, and biological research can play along the optimal time path. Because the …

Self-Medication And Homeostatic Behaviour In Herbivores: Learning About The Benefits Of Nature’S Pharmacy, Juan J. Villalba, Frederick D. Provenza

Behavioral Education for Human, Animal, Vegetation, and Ecosystem Management (BEHAVE)

Traditional production systems have viewed animals as homogeneous ‘machines’ whose nutritional and medicinal needs must be provided in a prescribed manner. This view arose from the lack of belief in the wisdom of the body to meet its physiological needs. Is it possible for herbivores to select diets that meet their needs for nutrients and to write their own prescriptions? Our research suggests it is. Herbivores adapt to the variability of the external environment and to their changing internal needs not only by generating homeostatic physiological responses, but also by operating in the external environment. Under this view, food selection …

A Meta-Baci Approach Forevaluating Management Intervention On Chronic Wasting Disease In Mule Deer, Mary M. Conner, Michael W. Miller, Michael Ryan Ebinger, Kenneth P. Burnham

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Advances in acquiring and analyzing the spatial attributes of data have greatlyenhanced the potential utility of wildlife disease surveillance data for addressing problems ofecological or economic importance. We present an approach for using wildlife diseasesurveillance data to identify areas for (or of ) intervention, to spatially delineate pairedtreatment and control areas, and then to analyze these nonrandomly selected sites in a meta-analysis framework via before–after–control–impact (BACI) estimates of effect size. We applythese methods to evaluate the effectiveness of attempts to reduce chronic wasting disease(CWD) prevalence through intensive localized culling of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)innorth-central Colorado, USA. Areas where surveillance data …

A Review Of Shiga Toxin Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Enterica In Cattle And Free-Ranging Birds: Potential Association And Epidemiological Links, Kerri Pedersen, Larry Clark

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Cattle are the main reservoir for human infection by pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. To prevent entry of these foodborne pathogens into the human food chain, management factors at the farm level must be identified and controlled. External sources of contamination, such as birds, should be considered as potential sources of transmission over long distances. In this review, we focus on the epidemiology of infection by E. coli and S. enterica and the consequences of birds acting as disseminators of these pathogens at dairy farms in terms of cattle health and the subsequent effects on human health.

Distribution And Disease Prevalence Of Feral Hogs In Missouri, R. Edwin Hartin, Mark R. Ryan, Tyler A. Campbell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No attempts have been made to document the distribution of feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in Missouri. Also, antibody prevalence for pseudorabies virus and swine brucellosis have not been reported from Missouri. Our objectives were to characterize the current distribution of feral hogs in Missouri and to determine prevalence and distribution of feral hogs with antibodies against selected important diseases. We collected feral hog sighting data both from the public and Missouri Wildlife Services and Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife biologists. We determined prevalence of antibodies against pseudorabies virus, swine brucellosis, tularemia, and classical swine fever. From 2000 to …

Plant Disease Introduction, Larry A. Sagers

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Diet And Nutritional Concerns Of Hispanic Americans, Valerie Rawlinson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Hispanic Americans are the second largest ethnic minority group in the United States today, at 12.5% of the total U.S. population. They face considerable nutrition-related challenges, of which dietitians and other nutrition professionals who serve this population need to be aware. Their diet goes through drastic, rapid changes soon after immigration to the United States, many of which have a strong negative impact on their health, putting them at greater risk for obesity and chronic diseases than the general population. In addition to diet and disease, Hispanic Americans face other issues that hinder their ability to benefit from nutritional counseling, …

Antimicrobial Properties Of Syringopeptin 25a And Rhamnolipids, Prerak T. Desai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The increasing bacterial resistance to available antibiotics requires the search for new antibacterial compounds to be broadened. This study investigated the antimicrobial properties of two secondary metabolites from fluorescent pseudomonads -- syringopeptin 25A, a lipodepsipeptide produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, and a rhamnolipid mixture produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The rate of antimicrobial action was determined by monitoring the rate of uptake of propidium iodide during exposure to the compounds. Inhibition was also confirmed by the microbroth dilution method to determine the MI Cs. Both the compounds inhibited growth of Gram-positive organisms, including Mycobacterium smegmatis, staphylococci, and …

Evaluation Of Immunomodulators, Interferons And Known In Vitro Sars-Cov Inhibitors For Inhibition Of Sars-Cov Replication In Balb/C Mice, Dale L. Barnard, C. W. Day, K. Bailey, M. Heiner, R. Montgomery, L. Lauridsen, P. K-S. Chan, R. W. Sidwell

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Compounds approved for therapeutic use and in vitro inhibitors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) were evaluated for inhibition in the mouse SARS-CoV replication model. A hybrid interferon, interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) B/D, and a mismatched double-stranded (ds) RNA interferon (IFN) inducer, Ampligen® (poly I:poly C124), were the only compounds that potently inhibited virus titres in the lungs of infected mice as assessed by CPE titration assays. When mice were dosed intraperitoneally (i.p.) with IFN-alpha B/D once daily for 3 days beginning 4 h after virus exposure, SARS-CoV replication in the lungs of infected mice was reduced by 1 log10 …

Humanized Monoclonal Antibody Against West Nile Virus Envelope Protein Administered After Neuronal Infection Protects Against Lethal Encephalitis In Hamsters, John D. Morrey, V. Siddharthan, Aaron L. Olsen, G. Y. Roper, H. Wang, Thomas J. Baldwin, S. Koenig, S. Johnson, J. L. Nordstrom, M. S. Diamond

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Humans infected with West Nile virus (WNV) may clinically present with symptoms that are suggestive of neurological infection. Nearly all treatments of WNV disease have been effective in animal models only if administered before or soon after viral challenge. Here, we evaluated whether a potent neutralizing anti-WNV humanized monoclonal antibody (MAb), hE16, could improve the course of disease in a hamster model when administered after the virus had infected neurons in the brain. Five days after viral injection, WNV was detected in the brains of hamsters by cytopathic assay, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemical staining of WNV envelope …

Infection Of An Invasive Frog Eleutherodactylus Coqui By The Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis In Hawaii, Karen H. Beard, Eric M. O'Neill

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has contributed to declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. B. dendrobatidis is known to infect the frog Eleutherodactylus coqui in its native Puerto Rico. E. coqui was accidentally introduced into Hawaii in the late 1980s, where there are now hundreds of populations. B. dendrobatidis was being considered as a biological control agent for E. coqui because there are no native amphibians in Hawaii. Using a DNA-based assay, we tested 382 E. coqui from Hawaii for B. dendrobatidis and found that 2.4% are already infected. We found infected frogs in four of 10 study sites and …

Utah Pandemic Influenza Response Plan, David Sundwall, Robert T. Rolfs

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

An influenza pandemic has the potential to cause widespread illness and death. Planning and preparedness before the next pandemic strikes are critical for an effective response. Utah’s Pandemic Influenza Response Plan describes a coordinated strategy to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic. Influenza causes seasonal worldwide epidemics of disease that result in an average of 36,000 deaths each year in the United States. A pandemic – or global epidemic – occurs when there is a major change in the influenza virus so that most or all people in the world’s population have no immunity against the virus. Three …

Compressed Air, Wooden Clappers, And Other Non-Traditional Methods For Dispersing European Starlings From An Urban Roost, Randolph J. White, Richard A. Dolbeer, Craig R. Hicks

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

During autumn 2003, several thousand European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) began roosting on exposed I-beams in a newly constructed, decorative glass canopy that covered the passenger pick-up area at the terminal building for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Ohio. The use of lethal control or conventional dispersal techniques, such as pyrotechnics and fire hoses, were not feasible in the airport terminal area. The design and aesthetics of the structure precluded the use of netting and other exclusion materials. In January 2004, an attempt was made to disperse the birds using recorded predator and distress calls broadcast from speakers installed in …

Overview Of Impacts Of Feral And Introduced Ungulates On The Environment In The Eastern United States And Caribbean, Martin S. Lowney, Paul Schoenfeld, William Haglan, Gary W. Witmer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Non-native wild and feral ungulates have been introduced throughout the world for many centuries. Often the reasons for introductions were narrow in scope and benefits or the ungulates escaped or were released. Justifications for some introductions have included providing hunting opportunity, meeting cultural and dietary needs of people, fund raising, and aesthetics. Evaluations about the impacts to the environment, native wildlife, livestock, and people were most likely looked at in a narrow prism or not fully evaluated. Ungulates commonly introduced in the Eastern United States and Caribbean islands over the last 150 years included white-tailed deer, sika deer, hogs, horses, …

Oral Rabies Vaccination - A Progress Report, Dennis Slate, Charles Rupprecht, Mike Dunbar, Robert Mclean

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) targeting specific wild Carnivora species has emerged as an integral adjunct to conventional rabies control strategies to protect humans and domestic animals. ORV has been applied with progress toward eliminating rabies in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in western Europe and southern Ontario, Canada. Beginning in the 1990's, coordinated ORV was implemented in Texas to contain and eliminate variants of rabies virus in the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and coyote (Canis latrans) and in several eastern U.S. States with the goal of preventing spread of raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies. …

Challenges Of Invasive Reptiles And Amphibians, William C. Pitt, Daniel S. Vice, Mike E. Pitzler

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Although worldwide distributions of many amphibians and reptiles are declining, a handful of species are spreading rapidly throughout tropical regions of the world. The species that have the greatest effect tend to be generalist feeders, have high reproductive rates, attain large population sizes, and often due to their behavior and or small size, are easily transported or are difficult to detect. The most notable of these species include the coqui frog, cane toad, bullfrog, brown tree snake, and Burmese pythons. The effect of a few individuals typically is small but the combined effect of large populations can be devastating to …

Fence-Line Interactions Among Farmed And Free-Ranging Cervids: Preliminary Results, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Justin W. Fischer, Robert Pooler, Michael J. Lavelle, Greg Phillips

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Occurrences of disease outbreaks within and near captive cervid (mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni)) farms have recently drawn attention to these facilities. Some state wildlife and agricultural agencies have pondered making double fencing mandatory or otherwise increasing regulation of captive operations. Diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Bovine Tuberculosis (bovine TB) are a threat to captive and free-ranging cervid populations. Concerns over these and other diseases being transmitted from captive to wild cervids, and vice versa, have increased. In most cases, captive …

Assessment Of Texas Medical Providers Concerning Rabies Vaccines, Denise M. Ruffino, Scott E. Henke

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Rabies is an important zoonotic disease in Texas and thousands of people each year either request or require rabies prophylaxis because they have 'high risk ' jobs or are exposed to the disease. After experiencing difficulty in receiving rabies prophylaxis from physicians, we conducted a survey of Texas medical providers to assess their knowledge of rabies vaccine procedures and their experience with rabies vaccines. Most providers in Texas (>95% of 297) rarely saw patients for rabies prophylaxis; therefore, providers have minimal, if any, experience with the procedures of acquiring and administering the vaccine. Providers varied greatly in their responses …

Monitoring Racoon Rabies In Alabama: The Potential Effects Of Habitat And Demographics, Wendy M. Arjo, Christine E. Fisher, James Armstrong, Dana Johnson, Frank Boyd

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Density, morphometrics, and disease prevalence of raccoon populations were determined in 4 habitats (agriculture, riverine, managed, and forested) in central Alabama. In addition we monitored 71 collared raccoons to determine survival. Density estimates were similar in the agriculture (ag) and riverine habitats in central Alabama with 8 raccoons/km², and lower in the forested habitat at 5 raccoons/ km². Retention of juveniles did not appear to contribute to observed higher populations in the riverine and ag habitat. Although the riverine and ag, possibly due to supplemental resources, likely provide better habitat for raccoons, we found only body …

Preliminary Serologic Survey Of Selected Diseases And Movements Of Feral Swine In Texas, A. Christy Wyckoff, Scott E. Henke, Tyler Campbell, David G. Hewitt, Kurt Vercauteren

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) populations occur throughout eastern, central, and southern Texas, and their populations appear to be increasing. Despite their abundance and wide distribution, little is known about their range and interaction with domestic animals. In the last decade the national pork production industry has enforced an eradication program for economically detrimental swine diseases such as pseudorabies and brucellosis. It is hypothesized that feral hogs can be reservoirs that could reintroduce diseases to disease-free domestic swine herds. The objectives of this on-going project are to determine the prevalence of selected swine diseases that exist within feral hog …

Insights, Spring, 2005, Utah State University

Discovery Magazine

Bi-annual alumni newsletter for the College of Science of Utah State University in Logan.

Characterization Of Cytokine Induction And Effects Of Antiviral Treatment In Four Murine Models Of Poxvirus Infection, Corinna W. Knorr

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cytokine profiles during cowpox virus (CPV) strain Brighton and vaccinia virus (VV) strain Western Reserve infections were characterized in intranasal (i.n.) and intraperitoneal (i .p.) models in BALB/c mice. The time-course of induction and effects of cidofovir treatment on interferon (IFN)-γ, IFN-γ inducible protein (IP)-10, interleukin (IL)-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 were determined. The four models have distinct patterns of cytokine induction. CPV i.p. and VV i.n. infections showed increased induction throughout the time studied. CPV i.n. infection resulted in delayed induction of IFN-γ and IP-10. Cytokine levels were fairly constant during VV i.p. infections. Cidofovir treatment (100 mg/kg/day …

"Bariatic Surgery For Obese Adolescents", Hilary Brooke Spooner

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

With the rise of adolescent obesity, the need for treatment of this life-threatening disease is under consideration. There are several methods for the treatment of this disease, but a newer method is on the rise. Bariatric surgery for adolescents is a new technique that has been performed on adults for years, but the effects on the younger population are still unknown. There are certain criteria and guidelines for the patients undergoing this surgery, but the results seem to be promising. Nutritional and surgical complications are of great concern, but are the chronic disease health benefits brought on by weight loss …

Identification Of Factors Affecting Susceptibility To Depression And Influencing Quality Of Life In Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients Based On Age-At-Diagnosis, Marlene Israelsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Approximately 10% of cystic fibrosis (CF) cases remain undiagnosed until age 18 or later and medical professionals are still unclear about the needs of these individuals. Adults with CF must either adapt to life with a chronic disease or transition into adulthood with CF. The purpose of this study was to address the impact of age-at-diagnosis on quality of life in a CF adult population.

The psychological functioning of 21 adult CF patients (seven adult-diagnosed (AD) and 14 pediatric-diagnosed (PD)) was assessed using the Beck Depression Index (BDI)-II. A descriptive review of demographic and clinical data, which included an assessment …