Three hundred and nine mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) from Lancaster County, Nebraska, were examined for species of Haemoproteus. Older doves possessed higher Haemoproteus prevalences than younger doves. Mean total prevalence for each dove age group was as follows: adults, 61% H. sacharovi and 83% H. maccallumi; immatures, 35% H. sacharovi and 42% H. maccallumi; and nestlings, 31% H. sacharovi and 16% H. maccallumi. Yearly prevalences were less variable in mature doves than in immature and nestling doves. No correlation between nestling and parent Haemoproteus infections were observed, but nestmates in 10 or 18 nests harbored equivalent infections. Stilbometopa podopostyla and Microlynchia pusilla (Hippoboscidae) were collected from Nebraska doves. Hippoboscidae were collected from doves of all ages from April to August. Dove baited fly traps yielded Culex tarsalis and C. pipiens in Nebraska and Culicoides haematopotus, C. crepuscularis, and Simulium aureum in Ames, Iowa.

To determine the exposure of free-ranging pronghorns (Antilocapra americana Ord) to selected pathogens, serum samples were obtained from 33 live-trapped animals from southwestern Saskatchewan in 1970, and from 26 and 51 animals from southeastern Alberta, in 1971 and 1972, respectively. Antibodies were found to the agents of parainfluenza 3, bovine virus diarrhea, eastern and western encephalomyelitis, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and the chlamydial group. No serologic reactors were found to the agents of bluetongue, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, brucellosis, or leptospirosis (4 serotypes).

Herpesvirus strigis, a new species of the genus Herpesvirus, is a pathogen for several species of owls in the order Strigiformes. Natural infection has been observed in the Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo L.), Long-eared Owl (Asio otus L.) and Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca L.) In addition the Little Owl (Athene noctua Scopoli) and Tengmalms Owl (Aegolius funereus L.) was experimentally infected. On the other hand the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco L.) and Barn Owl (Tyto albo Scopoli) proved resistant to a massive experimental infection. Of representatives from nine other orders of birds and mammals, only the Old World Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus L.) was found susceptible to this virus.

Distribution of viral antigen in various organs of infected owls, as determined by immunofluorescence and by quantitative virus assay, was in accordance with the occurrence of macroscopic and microscopic lesions.

An epidemic of rabies occurred within a colony of captive skunks (Mephitis mephitis). One of the animals had been infected with the virus in the wild and developed clinical illness nearly 7 weeks after capture. She transmitted the virus to three of her five offspring and one other adult. The disease spread to additional skunks when orphaned infants were adopted by lactating females. Although the animals were in close contact with each other, the epidemic spread slowly. Furious rabies generally did not occur and frequently rabid skunks were found dead without any clinical signs of the disease having been observed.

In 1971, an outbreak of a hemorrhagic disease occurred in captive and free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. Clinical signs and gross pathological lesions were consistent with those of epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue, as were serological and histopathological findings for samples sent to other laboratories. The infection rate among the 104 captive deer was 88-92%, and that among the free-ranging Park deer appeared to be similar. Mortality was negligible in the Park deer, but 65 (62%) of the captive deer died. The deaths were bimodally distributed over a 36-day period, and the mortality rate decreased from 97-100% for deer clinically ill during the first 17 days of the outbreak to 58% for deer first exhibiting clinical signs on day 16 or later. Mortality was equal in males and females, but less in yearlings than among fawns or adults. Winter mortality among survivors of the initial outbreak was associated with low ambient temperatures and sometimes fungal and bacterial abscesses, possibly sequelae or complications of the hemorrhagic disease. The pregnancy and birth rates among surviving does appeared to be normal.

Cytomegaly with intranuclear inclusion bodies was found in the duct epithelium of the salivary glands of five of ten hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). Cytomegalovirus infection was presumed to be the cause.

Parasites collected from free-ranging black bears, Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780, from northeastern Minnesota or northern Michigan include the dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say, 1821), the winter tick, D. albipictus (Packard, 1869), a louse, Trichodectes pinguis euarctidoes Hopkins, 1954, an ascarid worm, Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi, 1819), a filarial worm, Dirofilaria ursi Yamaguti, 1941, taeniid tapeworms, and unidentified fleas. The broad fish tapeworm, Diphyllobothrium latum (Linnaeus, 1785), was reported to be common in man and black bears in northeastern Minnesota earlier in this century, but now it apparently is uncommon or absent in both species. Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835) recently was found in black bears in northern Wisconsin. Cannibalism of carcasses is common in the black bear and may play a major role in the transmission of Trichinella.

In Washington, eight California bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis californiana, were necropsied to ascertain age and general physical condition. Four were found to harbor Wyominia tetoni.

More than 2,500 sera from approximately 30 wild and domestic species in southern Texas were tested for neutralizing antibodies to Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE). Virus isolations were also attempted from blood and tissue samples of many of the wild specimens. VEE neutralizing substances were present in a variety of species collected prior to the 1971 epizootic, suggesting that VEE was present and perhaps enzootic in this area before the recent epizootic. Serologic results of this study suggest that deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and feral swine (Sus scrofa) may serve as good indicators or sentinels of VEE transmission. The reservoir of VEE was not established, but results of the study suggest that a number of species or a combination of animal host populations including deer, feral swine, and peccaries (Pecari angulatus) may be involved in the epizootiology of VEE in southern Texas.

A massive growth in the lower jaw of an Indian python (Python molurus) was diagnosed from biopsy samples as a fibroma. Moderately satisfactory treatment was achieved by surgical excision.

Histological changes in the wall of the copulatory sac of normal adult female thorny skates, Raja radiata, were compared with those naturally infected with Trichodina oviducti. The parasites were associated with extensive defoliation of the copulatory epithelium and in some instances had penetrated the submucosa resulting in petechiae. An excessive exudate that appeared at the vent was made up of mucus, sloughed cells and parasites. It is speculated that shedding of the copulatory epithelium may be due to a hyaluronidase-like enzyme. Furthermore, the restriction of T. oviducti to adult skates may be dependent on the presence of certain mucopolysaccharides that are very low or absent in immature skates.

In an outbreak of bovine rabies in Argentina, a study was made of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) and wild carnivores. Rabies antibody rates of high prevalence were found in the bats, foxes (Dusicyon gymnocercus) and skunks (Conepalus chinga). The outbreak was part of an extensive continuing epizootic of vampire transmitted bovine rabies which may have also involved other vectors in the area of this study. Consumption of dead and dying bats by the carnivores is the suggested means of passage of rabies virus from vampire bats to foxes and skunks. Given optimum conditions it is conceivable that some outbreaks in carnivores may begin in this way.

The susceptibility of black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) to the common liver fluke (F. hepatica) was studied. Two deer and one sheep comprised each of three experimental groups. Animals in each group were inoculated individually with 250, 500, or 1000 F. hepatica metacercariae. One deer and one sheep given 1000 metacercariae died with lesions consistent with black disease 7 weeks after inoculation. At necropsy 6 or 15 weeks postinoculation, the mean percentage recovery of the inoculum was 38.9% from the deer and 51.9% from the sheep. Fluke eggs recovered from the deer were viable and metacercariae cultured from the eggs were fully infective for sheep.

Pathologic changes associated with F. hepatica infection were more severe in the infected deer; consequently, the deer were less resistant to the lethal effects of the parasite than sheep. Considering the experimental results and the fact that naturally acquired common liver fluke infection has been reported infrequently from black-tailed deer, it was concluded that black-tailed deer do not constitute a significant reservoir for F. hepatica in domestic livestock.

A free living opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) was found to have severe fibrous osteodystrophy of the maxilla and mandibles. No significant lesions were found in the kidneys, ruling out an etiology of renal secondary hyperparathyroidism. An etiology of primary hyperthyroidism or nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism is suggested.

Natural pox infection occurred in a free-living rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus) in northeastern North Dakota. Gross, histological and electron microscopic findings were typical of pox infection, and characteristic lesions developed in red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) but not in great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) following inoculation with case material. Death of the rough-legged hawk was attributed to starvation resulting from inability to capture prey and to blood loss from foot lesions.

Babesia moshkovskii*† was found in the blood of 6 of 30 downy (D) Prairie Falcons and in none of 5 adults (A) from Wyoming. Intestinal parasites included Neodiplostomum (C.) spathula*† (A,3), Cladotaenia globifera*, (A,1), Physaloptera sp.†, (A,1), and Serratospiculum amaculatum†, (A,4). Omithodorus concanensis, (D,3), Thrassis francisi*, (D,1), Opisocrostis sp*, (D.1), Degeeriella rufa, (D,2), Simulium (E.) canonicola*† (D,2), and an unidentified hippoboscid fly*, (D,2) were external parasites. It is considered that the soft tick, O. concanensis, is the most likely vector of the hematozoon. The morphological forms of B. moshkovskii are described and discussed. This is the first report of an avian babesoid on this continent. (*new host record, †new distribution record).

Antibody activity against Erysipelothrix insidiosa was measured in 15 porpoises which had undergone a series of vaccinations, at 6 month intervals, with erysipelas bacterin. Relatively high levels of agglutinating antibodies were found to persist in the serum for at least 6 months following booster inoculations of the vaccine.

A male pseudohermaphrodite white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is described. The animal shot in Aiken County, South Carolina on November 4, 1971, was 1.5 years old and had the external appearance of an antlered doe. The 6 point antlers were in velvet, a vulva was present, and the testes were located in the body cavity. Other male reproductive organs present were epididymides, vasa deferentia and ampullae. Female reproductive organs present were cervix, vagina and clitoris.

An Epistylis outbreak occurred on channel catfish in raceways during two growing seasons. Bioassays of potential control chemicals were conducted. Based on the bioassay results, salt (NaCl) plus formalin and salt alone were the most effective treatment chemicals.

21.4% of the willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus) examined from a coastal locality in northern Norway were infected with Syngamus trachea. None of the willow grouse examined from an inland locality with colder and longer winters were infected with the parasite. It is suggested that the parasite may influence survival of the grouse population.

Impala (Aepyceros melampus) and wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) were infected with bovine strains of foot and mouth disease virus by intradermolingual inoculation. No clinical signs developed in the impala but mild atypical lesions developed in the fongues of the wildebeest with generalized spread to one foot in two of the eight animals exposed. All the impala but only some of the wildebeest developed viraemia. No virus could be isolated from any tissues in either species after the 7th day following virus inoculation. Immune response occurred in both species. A field survey revealed few animals of either species with significant antibody titers and no virus ‘carriers’ were found.

Trypanosomas were isolated from a wapiti (Cervus canadensis) and 72 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from several locations in Michigan. Although significantly fewer fawns were infected, there were no significant differences in rate of infection between sexes or among geographic areas. From appearance of the trypomastigote, the trypanosome from white-tailed deer belongs in the genus Trypanosoma and the subgenus Megatrypanum. It was morphometrically similar to the common trypanosome of cattle, Trypanosoma theileri.

The histopathology of fin rot disease in winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, from the New York Bight is described. Fin rot in winter flounder was characterized by progressive loss of portions of the anal and dorsal fins. Microscopic findings included epidermal hyperplasia accompanied by dermal fibrosis, hyperemia, and hemorrhage. Bacteria were not observed in situ and a pronounced leukocytic inflammatory response was not noted.

Forty-four black-tailed jackrabbits, Lepus californicus melanotis Mearns, 1890, were collected near Denver from August, 1972, through July, 1973, and examined for parasites. Recovered parasites and their infection rates were: Eimeria sp. 100%, Cittotaenia sp. 27%, coenuri of Multiceps sp. 57%, Cediopsylla inaequalis 14%, Hoplopsyllus affinis 9%, Haemodipsus setoni 2%, Dermacentor andersoni 14%, and Haemaphysalis leporis-palustris 25%.

The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was investigated among five species of wild carnivores in Northern California. The highest prevalence was among bobcats (Lynx rufus), with 15 of 21 tested being serologically positive. Other results included serological evidence of toxoplasmosis in two of seven raccoons (Procyon lotor), one of three badgers (Taxidea taxus) and two of three coyotes (Canis latrans). Two gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were serologically negative.

One badger with an indirect hemagglutination antibody titer of 1:8192 was found to harbor T. gondii in its brain tissues.

Leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were orally inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes. Most listeriae were shed 3-6 days after inoculation. The evidence indicated that the listeriae did not multiply in frogs and were unable to become established in the gastrointestinal tract.

The prevalence of hematozoa (diagnosed from blood films) in a sample of 4200 anatids representing 14 species collected in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island during the period 1969-1973 is given. Thirty percent of the birds harboured hematozoa; the commonest blood parasite was Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) nettionis (in 18% of the sample), followed by Leucocytozoon simondi (in 14% of the sample). Four species of Plasmodium occurred in 5% of the sample—Plasmodium circumflexum was the most frequently encountered of the four. Prevalence of infection varied markedly from year to year and locality to locality. Ducks from Northwestern New Brunswick-Bathurst area were the most heavily infected while those from Prince Edward Island had a low hematozoan prevalence. Black ducks (Anas rubripes) were the most heavily infected of the 14 species of waterfowl sampled and possibly hematozoa may act as a limiting factor on populations of this duck. Bluewing teal (Anas discors) showed the lowest prevalence (7.1%) of the 14 species studied and the prevalence was in marked contrast to that of the greenwing teal (Anas carolinensis) (39.5%).