U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Health through Science Jonathan Sleeman USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Emerging Infectious Diseases  Unprecedented number of emerging infectious diseases  Human-induced environmental changes favor disease emergence  Many disease threats to human, animal and ecosystem health are of wildlife origin

Consequences of Emerging Diseases  Impacts on human health, wildlife health & the global economies and societies  35 million people living with HIV globally  300 million poultry culled since 2003 as a result of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian flu  Chytrid fungus has reduced global diversity of amphibians  Ecological impacts of white- nose syndrome in bats

Invasive Species and Transboundary Diseases  Global movement and trade of wildlife opens new pathways for pathogens to jump to new continents and new species  Introduction of monkeypox to the United States from the trade in Gambian pouched rats  Avian botulism in Great Lakes outbreaks linked to invasive gobies and dreissenid mussels  Waterfowl die-offs in Midwestern states from exotic trematode infection carried by European faucet snails

Lead Poisoning Avian Cholera Newcastle Disease Sea Otter Mortality Avian Botulism West Nile Virus West Nile Virus Monkeypox Chronic Wasting Disease 1970s White- Nose Syndrome Avian Influenza Hawaiian Forest Bird Diseases Amphibian Malformations Coral reef health Emerging Diseases Investigated by USGS (red indicates transboundary diseases) 1990s Inclusion Body Disease

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center mission is to provide national leadership to safeguard wildlife and ecosystem health through dynamic partnerships and exceptional science Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Health National Wildlife Health Center

Uniquely designed biocontainment (BSL-3) diagnostic and research facility for wildlife located in Madison, Wisconsin Field station in Hawaii “CDC for Wildlife”

 Disease investigations  Surveillance and monitoring  Emergency response  Applied research  Education, training and outreach What We Do Advancing Wildlife and Ecosystem Health

Early Detection of Transboundary Diseases  Investigating wildlife mortality events nationwide is critical to early detection of introduced diseases  Generates information vital to determine cause of death, assess the threat, and support management and law enforcement agencies “ Afflockalypse” blackbird deaths in Arkansas, 2011

White Nose Syndrome: An Example of a Transboundary Disease  In 2007, we discovered and described Geomyces destructans, the likely infectious cause of white-nose syndrome in bats  Appears to be an introduced pathogen from Europe  Causing unprecedented mortality of bats  Bats are primary predators of insects and bat population declines will negatively impact forest health, agriculture, and human health

One Health Human-Agriculture-Wildlife-Ecosystem Health … in a Connected World DISEASE

Integrated Partner-Driven Science  Avian botulism in the distressed Great Lakes  National Park Service  Wildlife trade and global disease emergence  EcoHealth Alliance

For more information about the NWHC please visit: Contact Information: Jonathan Sleeman, MA, VetMB, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ECZM, MRCVS Center Director USGS, National Wildlife Health Center 6006 Schroeder Road Madison, WI Tel: (608) Fax: (608)